


Hanging the Moon

by robotboy



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Found Family, Heist, M/M, Pining, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Road Trips, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:54:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 42
Words: 66,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22060648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotboy/pseuds/robotboy
Summary: Finn goes looking for the Stormtroopers’ lost families, and Poe tags along.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 2250
Kudos: 964





	1. The Taste of Dust

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This story is about ex-Stormtroopers finding their families. It involves stolen children and themes of grief. There will be really, really sad parts. I promise it has a happy ending.
> 
> Moodboard by [blxcksqvadron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blxcksqvadron/pseuds/blxcksqvadron):  
> 

Part One: The Calling

* * *

The world keeps turning, because that’s what worlds do.

Poe Dameron wakes up the morning after the celebration with a hard-earned hangover. He stumbles after BB-8 to the Resistance headquarters, mumbling an apology for being late. Finn shoves a cup of caf under Poe’s nose, and Poe squints gratefully at him.

Finn winks and murmurs: ‘Nice hair.’

Poe doesn’t roll his eyes, because Finn is the god who brought him caf.

‘General,’ D’Acy says, and Poe’s back straightens automatically. He looks over his shoulder, and it hits him again.

She’s not addressing Leia.

‘Yes?’ Finn asks. He shifts slightly in front of Poe, so Poe can hide his face in his cup and act like he’s okay.

D’Acy launches into a comprehensive status report. The Final Order is destroyed, but they cannot forget the dregs of the First Order. Poe nods while Finn confers with D’Acy, guessing which warlords will rush to fill the current power vacuum. There are refugees from the war, and decisions to make about whether the Resistance will remain on Ajan Kloss. There are still a hundred worlds to rebuild and a thousand loved ones missing.

There are too many funerals to plan.

Finn is the natural leader that carries the whole Resistance on his shoulders. Poe knew he could: Poe promoted him because he knew he could. It takes a week of grief and exhaustion and struggling to keep up before Poe can start to pull his weight. He takes point on authorising missions, picking who to dispatch and filling the gaps in Finn’s knowledge. The morning he arrives early at Finn’s quarters with two cups of caf is the morning he starts thinking maybe things are going to be okay.

The way Finn smiles at him, it’s hard not to believe.

Even sharing the load, even with the Final Order defeated, it’s still more work than Poe’s ever done in his life. It’s dark before they leave headquarters at the end of each day. The evenings on Ajan Kloss are sticky and warm. Finn’s chin sometimes drops to his chest during logistics debriefs. Poe leans on him, feeling Finn get gradually heavier as he lists sideways until Poe’s gentle elbow startles him awake. Finn doesn’t shift away when it happens: he’s steadfast by Poe’s side, shoulder to Poe’s somewhat-shorter shoulder.

It’s a little _too_ warm for an evening on Ajan Kloss, but Poe’s not going to complain.

Some nights it’s only the Generals left at headquarters, poring through reports. Poe hasn’t once regretted promoting Finn, but he’s especially glad when he has someone to hunch over a datapad with.

Until he wakes up, neck aching and mouth full of wool. He snuffles, nestling closer to the soft wall beside him. Then the wall starts squirming, because it is Finn.

Poe reluctantly peels himself away from Finn’s body, realising as he does how his legs were on Finn’s lap, and his head tucked under Finn’s chin. Too late, Poe notices the datapad sliding off his lap and clunking loudly on the floor. Finn snorts awake.

‘Did we...?’ Finn smacks his lips.

‘Mhmm,’ Poe grumbles, stretching until his knees pop.

‘We didn’t finish reading the reports,’ Finn fumbles for the datapad.

Poe groans. ‘I’m thinking about demoting myself.’

Finn’s laugh shakes Poe. ‘Maybe we can get away with skimming them.’

‘Or delegate,’ Poe suggests. Finn hums in agreement. He lifts the blanket that’s been draped over both of them.

‘Did you get this?’ he asks.

‘No...?’ Poe tugs it away. Dawn is barely peeking through the trees, and the overnight chill is already dissipating.

Finn thought Poe had tucked them in. Poe dwells on it, for as long as it takes to fold the blanket.

BB-8 trills a good morning.

Poe starts to translate: ’He says it was—‘

‘Chewie?’ Finn repeats. ‘When did he come in?’

Poe ducks his head so Finn can’t see him smiling. Finn’s binary is getting better all the time.

BB informs them it was after midnight, and that they’d better freshen up if they don’t want the rest of command to catch them cuddling.

Poe chokes and Finn coughs, so apparently Finn has also learned the binary for _cuddling._ Poe tucks the blanket under the bench and puts the datapad back on the desk. Finn is smoothing out the wrinkles in his pants when Poe turns to him.

‘You might wanna, uh…’ Finn trails off, hand gesturing vaguely at Poe’s chest. Poe looks down, and realises how far his shirt has fallen open. He spreads his arms.

‘What?’ he’s still half-asleep, and it’s the only reason he’s brave enough to joke: ’Too sexy for a General?’

Finn snorts. ‘Maybe I don’t like the competition.’

‘Oh, I’m still parsecs behind you, buddy.’

‘How’s my dust taste?’ Finn smirks, reaching out to button the shirt himself. He straightens the chain around Poe’s neck and tucks it back out of sight.

‘De _lic_ ious,’ Poe hisses, staring down at Finn’s hands. Finn chuckles.

This is a thing they do, now. Weeks of missions on the Falcon together, and at some point, ribbing banter became harmless flirting.

Well, harmless for Finn. Poe doesn’t mind the way it stings when Finn laughs it off. He loves Finn’s laugh.

He loves Finn.

Damn it all.

*

It takes a full month before they wrangle a morning off. Poe’s in his X-Wing the minute he can get away. Then he’s up, laughing like a madman as he clears the jungle canopy. Surrounded by sky, he follows the lines of the clouds, chasing a flock of birds to the beach. Then he dips down into the canyon he’s only seen on the charts, almost clipping a wing on a vine as he weaves under it. BB is singing with glee and Poe sends them up, straight into the sky with his back to the ground, until the atmosphere changes colour and he sees a hint of stars. Then he’s whooping as he dives toward the sea, pulling out so close that the water kicks up around him in waves.

He lets out a breath he’s been holding for longer than he’d realised.

When he gets back to base, it doesn’t take long for Finn to find him.

‘Can we talk?’

A stone plummets through Poe’s stomach. Nothing like those three words to yank his head out of the clouds and nail him to the ground.

Poe slaps on a smile, because that’s not Finn’s fault. ‘Of course, buddy.’

Finn shifts from foot to foot. He rubs the back of his neck, and Poe has to stop himself from reaching out and replacing Finn’s hand from his own.

It makes sense. Leaders need professional boundaries. They can’t mix work and pleasure, and Poe must have crossed the line from a game between shipmates to something inappropriate.

‘I talked to Rey.’

Poe considers other ways this morning could have gone. He could have flown his X-Wing into the sea and never returned. ‘Oh yeah?’

‘We’re gonna spend some time together,’ Finn crinkles his nose, looking guilty. ‘If I can leave the General-ising to you a couple of mornings a week?’

‘Yeah!’ Poe answers too loudly. ‘Yeah, buddy, of course.’

‘Good, great,’ Finn claps his hands together. ‘Thank you.’

Poe shakes his head. ‘Not a problem. Not at all. I’m happy for you both.’

He’s lying through his teeth.

‘Well, spare a thought for Rey,’ Finn grins. ‘She’s the one teaching me.’

‘Buddy, don’t be ridiculous, you’re the fastest learner on the—’ Poe’s brain catches up with his mouth. ‘Teaching you what?’

‘Okay,’ Finn takes a deep breath. ’So, uh, this is the thing I didn’t tell you.’

‘The thing that you didn’t wanna talk about when we were dying?’ Poe confirms. ‘That thing?’

‘Yeah, that’s the one,’ Finn stares at the ground.

‘Well, I mean, if it’s a private thing between you and Rey, I totally respect—’

‘I’ve got the Force,’ Finn interrupts.

Poe opens and shuts his mouth. He frowns at Finn, then at a nearby shrub, and then back at Finn. ‘The thing you didn’t want to tell me was that you can use the Force?’

‘I don’t know!’ Finn throws his hands in the air. ‘It’s embarrassing.’

‘Finn, it’s not a _disease,’_ Poe laughs. ‘It’s amazing. That’s amazing!’

‘You think so?’ Finn gives him a little smile.

‘Come here,’ Poe pulls him into a hug. Finn’s shoulders rise, tightening, then fall as he settles into the embrace. Poe closes his eyes, breathing in the smell of him. ‘I’m so proud of you.’

‘I was thinking, maybe…’ Finn murmurs near Poe’s ear. Poe holds his breath. ‘You might want some afternoons off? In exchange?’

Poe laughs. ‘Sure, buddy. If you can handle the General-ising.’

*

It’s only later, when Poe’s cruising around practicing formations with Black Squadron, that he has time to be a pessimist.

Finn always comes back from Jedi training bright-eyed and glowing with sweat. He and Rey sit together at mealtimes—that’s not new, they always like sharing new food with each other—and talk Force business. Or what Poe assumes is Force business, since the Force has never had any business with him.

There are things Poe knows about Jedi, from growing up on Yavin IV. He knows Jedi weren’t allowed to love, at least in the old days. The training doesn’t seem to be something you can do as an extra-curricular activity, at least in the long term. He doesn’t want to discourage Finn, or drive a wedge between them by asking, but the thought has lodged in his mind.

There are things he knows about Jedi from the last few weeks. They’re always going off on their own after some higher calling. They’ve got abilities that are—Poe will admit to himself if nobody else—terrifying. And, the worst part: they tend to die.

But Finn is Finn, and of course he should have known. Finn is somehow _more_ than anyone Poe has ever met. It makes sense that Finn has a power, a calling, a destiny. Poe would have told anyone: Finn is going to save the galaxy.

Poe was just his getaway pilot.


	2. Knee-high to a Clodhopper

Even with the occasional afternoon off, headquarters is becoming Poe’s least favourite place. The mornings without Finn drag on unbearably. He’s developed a worshipful awe at D’Acy’s patience and managerial skills. About five times every day, he gets stuck thinking _if Leia were here,_ but sometimes that thought finishes _she could slap me and make me a Captain again_ and he smiles a little to himself.

He’s counting down the minutes until lunch when Jannah marches up to him.

‘General,’ she greets him, looking around. ‘Is Finn here?’

Poe sighs. ’No, he’ll be back soon.’

‘Dameron can probably sort it out,’ Lando saunters in behind her.

‘I probably can,’ he nods. ‘But if you wanna see him, he won’t be long.’

People can have favourite Generals, it’s fine. Finn can be other people’s favourite person: Poe definitely understands that.

‘We’ll wait,’ Jannah decides. ‘Got a starchart handy?’

Poe pulls one up on the display. ‘Knock yourself out.’

She and Lando pore over it, while Poe goes back to authorising shipments.

Poe’s learned to use the word _soon_ like a weapon. Does he mean Finn will be back in two minutes, or two days? Nobody needs to know, least of all Poe himself.

Lando, Poe had figured, would take off once the dust had settled. He’d wondered if Jannah and the rest of the troopers would go back to Kef Bir. But even as a General, he’s not keeping tabs on everyone’s comings and goings, so here they are at the shed, formally known as headquarters. Known in Poe’s mind as _shed-quarters,_ and he hopes he never gets tired enough to let it slip out loud. There’s probably some datapad with a building order that Poe has not yet signed to improve his own workspace.

Two minutes turns out to be the closer estimate, as Finn turns up before lunchtime. He hangs off the doorframe by his fingers, and Poe can tell from the tightness around Finn’s eyes that this training session wasn’t an easy one. He’d tell Finn to take the rest of the day off if people weren’t waiting for him.

‘Jannah!’ Finn musters a smile. ‘Lando?’

‘Good to see you,’ Jannah clasps Finn’s hand briefly, and Lando gives a friendly salute.

‘We’re seeking authorisation on a mission, sir,’ Jannah announces. Finn flinches at _sir,_ shaking his head. Jannah laughs. ‘Alright, we’re taking off and we thought you might wanna come.’

‘Taking off where?’ Poe asks.

‘Vardos, in the Jinata system,’ Lando says. ‘We’ve been doing some digging, and they were in charge of Project Resurrection.’

‘Project what?’ Finn frowns.

‘The troopers,’ Jannah explains. ‘We’re going to find our families.’

Poe almost drops his datapad. Finn gapes at them. ‘You’ve _found—‘_

‘We haven’t found anything yet,’ Jannah admits. ‘We need the archives on Vardos before we know where to look.’

Finn sighs heavily. He glances over at Poe, and Poe frowns back. This is big: this is bigger than anything they’ve done since Exegol.

’I know you’re brass now, but we didn’t want to go without you,’ Jannah tells Finn.

‘You’re not gonna be able to waltz into First Order archives,’ Finn warns them. Poe takes note of the _you,_ not _we._

‘We’ve got half a company of ex-troopers,’ Jannah reminds him.

‘You need support,’ Poe adds, before Finn can talk them out of it. ‘Specialists.’

’So who can you give us?’ Lando asks.

‘Finn,’ Poe says, and Finn scowls at him. ‘Come on. There’s two of us so we can do stuff like this.’

‘I’m not a specialist,’ Finn says.

‘Expert marksman with the most up-to-date intel on the First Order,’ Poe lists off. ‘Resistance General, Force sensitive…’

‘Okay, okay!’ Finn pulls a face at him before Poe can finish the resumé. ‘I’m still training with the Force stuff. I can’t take off halfway through.’

‘You’ve managed pretty well without it so far,’ Jannah points out.

Finn sets his jaw. Poe suspects Finn might have the stubbornest jaw in the galaxy.

’Think on it,’ Lando suggests. ‘You too, Dameron.’

‘Me?’ Poe says. ‘I’m good with you doing this.’

‘You good with coming along?’ Lando asks.

‘They’ll need a pilot,’ Finn says, like those words don’t instantly unravel Poe’s entire heart.

 _‘You’re_ a pilot,’ Poe says to Lando.

‘Dameron, I’ve known you since you were knee-high to a clodhopper,’ Lando snaps. ‘Come to think of it, you’re still knee-high to a clodhopper.’

‘Thanks,’ Poe mutters.

‘And you’ve got jet fuel in your veins,’ Lando continues. ‘It’d be sabotage _not_ to bring you.’

‘He’s right,’ Finn says. ‘You’re the General they need.’

‘Can I talk to you for a second?’ Poe asks. ‘General to General?’

Finn steps back, so Poe can hurry them both behind the shed.

‘Finn,’ Poe hisses. ‘These are _your people.’_

Finn sighs. ‘Yeah. And what _my people_ need is the best shot at this. I’m giving them the best pilot.’

‘What about what _you_ need?’ Poe asks.

Finn looks away. ‘I need to finish this training.’

‘How long is—‘

‘And _you_ need to get up in the stars,’ Finn continues. ‘I can see it.’

 _I can see it,_ he says, like Poe is an open book to him. Maybe he is. Maybe Finn can see through the Force how Poe is restless and heartsick and would follow Finn to the end of the galaxy if he asked.

Poe scrubs a hand through his hair, which briefly distracts Finn. He chews on his lip, biting back a curse.

He knew this was coming. He’s known a long time that their days of adventuring together on the Falcon are probably over. His and Finn’s paths are going to diverge: Finn has so much left unfinished, so much ahead of him.

It would be the worst time, really, to tell Finn he’s in love with him. A voice in his head that sounds achingly familiar calls him _laser brain._


	3. Abednedo Air Conditioning

Poe has barely settled down for dinner when he hears a sharp: _‘WHAT?’_

Sure enough, Rey comes marching over to Poe.

 _‘I_ told him he should go,’ Poe defends himself before he can be accused. Rey shoots a glare at Finn, who’s trudging behind her, which tells Poe he’s correctly guessed the subject of the argument.

‘You said he wanted to go instead of you!’ Rey says to Finn.

‘Wait, no no no,’ Poe holds up his hands.

Finn interjects: ‘I said he _should_ go instead of me.’

‘Which is stupid,’ Poe concurs. Rey nods at him.

‘You said I needed to learn to focus,’ Finn tells Rey. ‘This is the _opposite_ of focusing.’

‘Maybe you _can’t_ focus because this is _distracting you,’_ Rey argues.

’I only learned about this after training!’

 _‘Or,_ you perceived it in your future and it was distracting you in advance.’

Poe has a headache just from listening. ‘Are you two like this every morning?’

‘No,’ Finn says, at the same time as Rey answers: ‘Yes.’

Poe pushes his plate to one side, since his dinner is going cold. They don’t notice.

‘Weren’t you just telling me that being a Jedi meant being selfless, and committing yourself to a greater good?’ Finn raises his eyebrows.

‘I think I was just telling you about how _not knowing where you come from_ can have _catastrophic effects_ if you don’t confront it when you get the chance,’ Rey says.

Poe exhales slowly. She makes a good point.

‘I can’t quit training when we’re only getting started,’ Finn argues, but his resolve is audibly crumbling.

‘You were doing pretty well without me,’ Rey reminds him. ‘Nobody’s saying we can’t pick it up again when you get back.’

Finn looks at Poe like Poe’s gonna back him up. Poe just shrugs. Finn tries a strategic angle. ‘The Generals shouldn’t be off-world at the same time.’

‘So I’ll stay here,’ Poe suggests.

‘I’m not going without you,’ Finn says.

Poe’s mouth opens, and nothing comes out.

‘Great,’ Rey spreads her hands. ‘Sorted.’

‘Wait, wait, I thought we couldn’t both be off-world,’ Poe backtracks.

‘Then we’re both staying,’ Finn nods.

Rey makes a noise like a boiling kettle.

‘Finn, I swear to the stars,’ Poe is getting dizzy from the circular arguing. ‘If you don’t—‘

‘Why can’t you both be off-world?’ Rey asks.

‘Because we have to… do General stuff,’ Poe says. ‘You know, keep the Resistance running.’

‘Did comms stop working and nobody told me?’ Rey asks.

‘No…’ Poe mumbles.

‘Someone ought to stay and protect the base,’ Finn suggests.

‘Yes, we’re terribly wanting for _seasoned warriors,’_ Rey rolls her eyes. ‘If only we had a Jedi, too.’

‘I mean someone in a leadership role,’ Finn says.

‘Don’t you think the _mission_ could use leadership?’ Rey asks. ‘You’re Generals because you’re two of our best fighters. You belong on the front lines. Wasn’t that what you told me?’

Poe starts to wonder if she’s putting a bit of mind trickery in her words, she’s so convincing. Then he remembers that Finn would be able to resist it, and also that he desperately wants to go with Finn regardless of what she’s saying.

Finn’s arms are folded, and he shifts forward like he’s going to launch into a fresh argument.

‘D’Acy could run a planet if we gave her one,’ Poe suggests.

‘Fantastic!’ Rey smacks them both on the shoulders. ‘Now we’ve all realised that all of us want exactly the same thing, I’m getting dessert.’

And off she frolics, leaving Finn and Poe blinking at each other. Finn slides into the seat beside Poe and says: ‘So.’

‘So.’

‘How are we gonna do this?’

Poe whistles through his teeth. ‘Stealth if we can. Minimises losses.’

‘Makes sense,’ Finn nods. ‘The Company can blend in. You’n’Lando can fly us in and out.’

The two of them sit next to each other and plan things all day, but this is different. This makes Finn’s eyes crinkle with mischief and sends Poe’s heart pound like he’s flying. This is _theirs._

‘Vardos is a standard colonised world, so no special equipment,’ Poe says. ‘Former Imperial stronghold, though.’

‘You’ve been?’ Finn asks.

‘I looked it up,’ Poe admits.

‘Earlier today?’

‘Hypothetically.’

‘Hypothetically,’ Finn grins at him. ‘So, we land on-world, sneak into the archives, get the data?’

‘And get out again,’ Poe says. ‘That part’s important.’

Then there’s a voice so close behind them the hair on the back of Poe’s neck rises.

‘I couldn’t help but overhear…’

Finn yelps.

’Rose!’ he gulps in air. ‘Did you learn that from him?!’

Poe doesn’t know who _him_ is, but Rose grins.

‘You’re gonna need someone to access the database,’ she says.

Finn turns his chair so she can join them at the table. Rose scoots between them. Poe acts fine about it.

‘Do you know someone who can do it?’ he asks.

‘I have been studying First Order operating systems,’ Rose says. ‘For _weeks.’_

‘Right!’ Finn says. ‘Wait, this whole time?’

‘I also got so bored I built an air conditioning system,’ she says solemnly.

‘You have _air conditioning?!’_ Finn glares at her.

‘It’s really good.’

This time it’s Poe’s turn to yelp. Rey is standing right next to him, gnawing a piece of fruit.

‘Jedi,’ he reminds himself. Rey nods.

‘Where are you both sleeping that’s air conditioned?’ Finn asks. ‘Is there room for more?’

Poe grieves, briefly and privately, for the imminent loss of Finn’s musk.

‘Women’s barracks,’ Rey says.

‘Also for the Abednedo quarters,’ Rose adds.

Poe racks his brains, trying to remember the last time C’ai complained about the weather. Maybe he hasn’t. Poe should ask.

‘Anyway, before we go charging off to Vardos,’ Rose says. ‘Did you think about putting out a call?’

Rey makes a noise of firm agreement around her mouthful of fruit.

‘A call?’ Poe asks.

‘We should get a message out,’ Rose suggests. ‘Ask if any worlds had children taken. We’ll still need First Order intel to help match up if any of them are Company 77—or you—' she nods at Finn. ‘But it could be a start.’

Finn is nodding, and Poe does too.

‘Let’s do it,’ Poe says.

It could be a start. That’s how it starts.


	4. The Contentious Shorts

Rose’s message doesn’t bring any useful leads, at first. The worlds that respond are those the Resistance knew were already conquered, and nothing quite matches up with what they know about Company 77 or Finn. Even Kijimi might have been a start, if Kijimi still existed. Short of doing blood tests on every world until they find a match, Vardos is still their best bet. According to the intel Jannah and Lando have gathered, the operation was called Project Resurrection. They took children from dozens of worlds, funnelling them into creches in top-secret locations.

‘Off-world, mostly,’ Finn recalls. ‘Probably made us harder to find.’

Poe’s skin crawls, thinking about it. He’s been star-sick all this time, but suddenly he wants nothing more than earth under his feet and clouds over his head. He savours the jungle’s humidity before they trade it for the processed air of a starship.

Rey insists on staying behind. They check on her one last time before shipping out.

‘We agreed someone’s got to protect the base, right?’ she smiles. ‘Besides, I need a break after dying.’

How she can be so carefree about it, Poe doesn’t know. Then again, he’s never died.

‘We’ll call you on the comms,’ Finn promises.

‘We won’t need comms, pretty soon,’ she gestures between herself and Finn. ‘I’m getting really good at listening for you.’

‘Oh, well then,’ Poe snorts. _‘I’ll_ call you on the comms.’

Rey pats him on the back. ‘I’d like that.’

‘We’ll only be a jump away,’ Finn assures her.

Rey crouches in front of BB-8. ‘Take care of them for me, won’t you?’

BB warbles a promise to her. Poe just hopes he gets the chance to keep it.

He slings his bag over his shoulder and BB chases his heels up the Falcon’s boarding ramp. Poe slaps the top of the doorframe lightly, greeting the ship again. The Falcon might be conspicuous, but they can’t sacrifice speed if they need to make a quick exit. The plan is to dock it at a sympathetic trading port and sneak through the city.

‘It’s a ground infiltration from the port,’ Poe explains as the crew boards. ‘Like what they did on Scarif.’

‘Didn’t the Rebels blow Scarif to pieces?’ Finn asks.

‘Uh, the Empire blasted their own facility from orbit trying to stop the Rebels,’ Poe corrects him gently. ‘We’re hoping that’s not what happens to us.’

‘Ah,’ Finn grimaces. ‘Okay. I see why that was not what I was told.’

Poe gives him a brief squeeze on the arm: innocent mistake. The others are too busy loading in to notice.

‘Everybody!’ Poe calls out. ‘We’re off-world in fifteen for an overnight jump. Check your gear! Full brief on the op once we’re in in hyperspace.’

‘You talk to all your squads like that?’ Finn nudges him and Poe elbows back.

The crew finish loading. Jannah tosses a pair of duffel bags in the main hold, and Chewie drags a cart with two crates up the ramp.

‘What is all this stuff?’ Rose asks.

‘If we do this right, it’s everything we need to get in and out of Vardos without anybody getting hurt.’

‘Sorry, I should have been more specific,’ Rose pulls out part of a cunning disguise that Poe put a lot of effort into sourcing. _‘What are these?’_

‘Shorts,’ Poe says. ‘Part of a cunning disguise that I put a lot of effort into sourcing.’

‘I am _not_ wearing shorts,’ Finn declares.

‘Nope, you’re not,’ Poe agrees. ‘I am.’

Finn sits down, rather hard, at the dejarik table. Poe takes the spot next to him while Chewie goes to meet Lando in the cockpit. Poe slouches, since for once he’s not the one flying. He could swear Finn mouths the word _shorts_ again, but he’s not going to bring it up.

‘This is why I said I should stay home,’ Finn mutters. ‘You’ve got this all figured out.’

‘Well, it’s not exactly my first undercover op,’ Poe reminds him. He almost adds: _Just my first with you._

‘What was your first one like?’ Finn asks.

‘You already know: a total disaster. Botched the job, bailed on my crew, couldn’t show my face on that planet ever again.’

‘Where was this?’

Poe frowns at him. ‘Kijimi.’

‘Wait, _Kijimi_ Kijimi?’ Finn checks. ‘What was the mission?’

‘I was a spice runner. Runner of spice,’ Poe leers at him. _‘Want some spice?’_

Finn shoves him. ‘You completely failed to mention that being a spice runner was an undercover mission.’

‘Oh, did I? Maybe I was distracted by the imminent doom of the entire galaxy.’

‘That’s a terrible excuse.’

‘Ah, but there’s this face you make when you’re suspicious of me,’ Poe grins. ‘Yeah, that’s the one.’

‘This isn’t suspicious, this is unimpressed,’ Finn corrects him.

‘Yeah, but you still get this,’ Poe reaches out, finger tracing Finn’s cheek. ‘This little dimple, right here.’

Finn ducks away, but his eyes are twinkling. After a moment’s delay, he retorts: ‘Yeah, well. You get bunny teeth when you’re confused.’

Poe wonders if Finn’s ever actually seen a bunny. He wonders if he could find one for him.

His thumb traces circles at the small of Finn’s back. Poe couldn’t count how many times they’ve sat together at the dejarik table during missions on the Falcon. But he remembers vividly the first time he was brave enough to slip his arm around Finn, patting his back in silent encouragement when he figured out a move that would trap Chewie into sacrificing a piece. How his hand stayed there, and Finn didn’t shrug it away. He learned where Finn liked a gentle scratch and where to avoid his scar.

Now, it’s muscle memory. His palm finds the knobs of Finn’s spine, fingers searching for the tight knot Finn usually gets between his shoulders. There it is. Poe digs in and Finn makes a nearly-inaudible squeak before settling back. Poe can’t feel the Force, but he imagines it’s something like the constant tension that runs through Finn. He redirects it—the physical kind, at least—with a kneading motion, until the nervous anticipation fades into eagerness.

‘All this time,’ Finn speaks quietly, so the others bustling around the hold don’t hear. ‘You let me think you were a scoundrel.’

‘I don’t _let you think_ anything,’ Poe reminds him. ‘Anyway, I took the job. I took a lot of bad jobs.’

‘Before you joined the Resistance?’ Finn asks.

‘During,’ Poe says. ‘I’m a Rebel born-and-bred.’

Finn glances at the chain around Poe’s neck, where the shirt doesn’t quite cover it. Funny. Poe’s never mentioned what it is.

‘I wasn’t necessarily a great guy, Finn,’ Poe sighs. ‘Just the best one you’d met at the time.’

‘Hmm,’ Finn gives his thigh a reassuring pat. The intent is clearly reassuring, anyway, even if it has other effects on Poe. ‘You’re still up there.’

‘I’ll try to stay there.’

‘Are we gonna brief?’ Rose comes back to the main hold. ‘Or are you busy snuggling?’

‘Rose!’ Finn is bolt upright, and Poe’s hands are nowhere near his lower back. ‘We’re not _snuggling.’_

‘Okay, Generals,’ she drawls.

‘You’re fishing for a court-martial,’ Poe mutters. Finn nods rapidly.

Chewie makes a snide comment as he and Lando emerge from the cockpit. Poe hopes nobody else can speak—

‘—really?’ Lando smirks at Finn and Poe. ‘All the time?’

Chewie nods. Poe pinches the bridge of his nose. He probably can’t court-martial Chewie either.

Everyone’s in the main hold. Poe launches into the brief, so maybe they’ll think about their actual jobs instead. Finn and Jannah aren’t entirely happy about their roles, and Rose is still skeptical about wearing shorts, but Chewie’s surprisingly amenable.

‘If this all goes right, we’re in and out without a blaster fired.’

‘About that,’ Jannah says. ‘I want all blasters set to stun.’

Poe frowns. ’Stuns don’t reload half as fast.’

‘They’re Stormtroopers,’ Jannah reminds them. ‘Same as we were. If we show mercy, they might think about joining people who only stun them. If we kill them, they don’t get the chance.’

Finn takes a deep breath beside Poe. He nods. ’If it gets ugly, we shoot to kill.’

‘Yep,’ Jannah concedes. ‘Not saying we should die for that chance.’

‘So we do what we can to keep it from getting ugly,’ Poe says. ‘Rose, that comes down to you and me.’

‘No pressure,’ she mutters.

‘You wanted a more exciting job,’ Finn reminds her.

‘Until I saw the uniform,’ Rose raises an eyebrow.

‘If you can aim a blaster, I can wear the shorts,’ Finn suggests.

 _If you wear the shorts, Poe will get a nosebleed_ , Poe does not say.

‘I can aim a shock prod,’ and to prove her point, she produces one from somewhere in her jumpsuit and waggles it at Finn. He takes a full two steps back.

‘So carry the shock prod,’ Poe suggests. ‘I know it sounds crazy, but the stupider the uniform, the better our chances, okay?’

‘Isn’t everyone going to recognise you, poster boy?’ Lando asks.

‘Let me worry about that,’ Poe tells him. ‘You keep the engines hot.’

Rose fidgets with the prod. Finn approaches her, and puts his hand on her shoulder. ‘If I can wear a helmet again, you can do this.’

Rose looks down, nodding.

‘Yeah, of course,’ she murmurs. Chewie hoots some words of comfort.

‘No manacles this time, buddy,’ Poe reassures him. ‘I think they’ve got wise to the prisoner-escort bit.’

Lando chuckles. Jannah, meanwhile, has dug a helmet out of the duffel bag. She holds it up to stare at the faceplate. It’s a generic security helmet, not a Stormtrooper’s, but it’s designed to make private forces look as official as Stormtroopers. Poe’s the only one standing close enough to hear her sigh.


	5. Excruciatingly Wet

Poe doesn’t know what he expected.

He’d been the first to load onto the Falcon: whether that shows he’s spearheading the mission, or that he’s itching to get off-world, he doesn’t care to examine. He’d put his gear in the same cabin as usual, assuming that Chewie would take the other berth. But the bag on the other bed is Finn’s.

It makes sense, the moment he gives it any thought. Rose and Jannah would prefer to share, and Chewie goes way back with Lando.

He scrubs a hand over his face, exhaling roughly into the heel of his palm. He thought he’d got it handled, all those times. A dozen missions together, he and Finn sleeping, eating, flying, and fighting in tandem. Klaud and Chewie there—not officially, but in Poe’s mind—to keep it from getting weird. Sure, Finn complained about Klaud’s _‘excruciatingly wet sleep apnea, Poe, you cannot possibly imagine how bad it is’_ but the alternative was… this. Finn and Poe at opposite ends of the same room. So close Poe could roll over and lock eyes with him in the night. Not that he ever did with Chewie: they mostly alternated shifts in the cockpit, so Poe had plenty of time spent in the cabin alone except for his right hand. It wasn’t a _comfortable_ status quo, but it was a routine. A pressure release in a broken engine, Poe thinks, and briefly grinds his hand against his crotch. Best get all thoughts along those lines out of his head before Finn retires from the dejarik game with Rose.

The thing is, the Falcon fits like an old jacket now. Worn down at the elbows, stretched out across the shoulders, maybe a little tighter around the middle. Comfortable because it’s familiar, wonderful because it’s _theirs._ It’s these corridors where Finn would smile at him every morning, this ‘fresher where Finn would shove him to one side when Poe spent too long on his hair, this bench where sometimes they’d just sit, Finn’s arm around Poe’s shoulders, watching a holo together to kill time.

He got used to not telling Finn how he felt. It’s become a comfortable silence, filled with playful ribbing and aimless flirtation. With Poe touching Finn’s hip to get by, squeezing Poe’s shoulder while he flew, or with them strategising how to beat Chewie at dejarik as a team. On his fifth debrief with Leia, she’d raised her eyebrows at Poe. The question didn’t need to be asked out loud, and she already knew the answer.

‘I don’t know,’ Poe had said, folding in on himself. ’I can’t find the right time.’

‘Sometimes there’s no right time,’ she’d smiled at him, dark eyes twinkling like they always did. ‘There’s just now.’

There’s a lump in his throat. He blinks fast, sniffing until his eyes dry out.

‘But when is _now?’_ he asks the empty cabin.

‘Nine o’clock, buddy,’ Finn pats him on the back, and Poe almost hits the ceiling. Finn brushes past him to his bag, fishing out a toothbrush and pyjamas. ‘You gonna use the sonic tonight, or in the morning?’

‘Morning,’ Poe mumbles.

Finn pauses. ‘You good?’

‘Yeah, I just…’ Poe pulls his hair back off his face.

‘You miss her.’

It’s not a question. Finn strides over and hugs him tight, nose buried in Poe’s neck. It squeezes a shaky breath out of Poe, but the next one is better. Warmer, firmer, in Finn’s arms.

Not _now._ Maybe soon.

*

He wakes up achingly hard, and the first thing he lays eyes on is Finn’s face, soft and slack with sleep. It’s so rare to see him with his brow relaxed, lips slightly parted. His hand is curled loosely by his cheek: Poe imagines the rhythmic heat of Finn’s breath, if his own hand were laid there. He imagines a few other things, too, which does nothing to help the morning wood. This wasn’t a problem when he used to bunk with Chewie.

He heads to the ‘fresher before Finn wakes up. The Falcon’s sonic is a piece of junk: the busted frequencies set his teeth on edge and kill his hard-on. He shuts it off and dunks his head into the sink, letting the chill wake him up properly. Hot water—a hot shower—would be better for this, but he’ll make do. He braces both arms on the sink. For a moment he just bows his head, and feels the Falcon’s engines humming through the soles of his feet.

‘Okay,’ he whispers to himself. ‘Gonna do this.’

He looks up, and lets out a breath so rough it fogs up the mirror. Wiping the glass clean with his towel, he grabs the clippers from their hook. He rubs his chin with his knuckles: at some point this became more of a beard than stubble. Probably too scruffy-looking for a General, but everyone’s been too polite to say.

The clippers get close, but not close enough. Poe takes a razor out of his kit, hoping it hasn’t gone blunt since he last used it. He coaxes a little hot water out of the faucet, and soaps his jaw. Then, the scrape-and-sting of the razor. He used to enjoy this, when he was the clean-cut Resistance hero. His heart used to beat faster at the feeling of a blade so close to his throat. These days, he’s just trying not to cut himself.

It doesn’t take as long as he expects. With the grey stripes in his beard shaved off, he looks like the same hothead he was five years ago. Somehow, he thought there’d be a war on his face. Maybe there are a few more lines around the eyes. A wiry white hair in his eyebrow.

He swallows, fingering the chain around his neck until the ring slides onto his finger. It never gets past the first knuckle, but he knows this. Follows the circle with his fingertip, finding the edge. There’s a hairline scratch on the outside that’s invisible to the naked eye, but he knows how to catch it with his fingernail. There.

Really, it’s been a long time coming. He’s been considering it—on the edge of it sometimes—since he said goodbye to Leia. He dials up the setting on the clippers, and gets started.

*

Finn and Rose have their heads together, talking so fast they don’t notice Poe enter the main hold. They have a way of finishing each other’s sentences, getting louder and so excited that everyone in the sector can probably hear them. Poe’s glad Finn has someone who lights him up like that. He’s jealous, sure, but that’s a personal problem. Finn is happy, and Rose makes him happy, and that makes Poe happy. He tries to look it.

Jannah’s talking with Lando and Chewie, so it’s BB that rolls up to him first, squeaking in surprise.

Rose breaks out of the middle of a sentence to gasp.

‘Hey, dial down the horror,’ Poe warns her.

‘It’s _gone,’_ she exclaims. ‘How did you…?!’

‘You know we have clippers, right?’ he shakes his head, smiling.

Chewie bursts out laughing, and that makes Lando chortle. Jannah’s looking between everyone, figuring out that Poe hasn’t cut his hair this short in a long time.

Finn seems to be struggling to look at him. He keeps stealing glances, head turned to one side.

‘This is your cunning disguise?’ he asks, approaching Poe slowly.

Like Poe’s a stranger. He didn’t think of that.

‘Clean-cut delivery boy,’ Poe nods. ‘Is it working?’

‘It’s _weird,’_ Rose interjects.

‘What about this?’ Finn gestures to the few surviving curls, cropped down to an inch or two at the top of Poe’s head.

’There’s a hat,’ Poe laughs. Rose makes an audible _ugh._

Finn rubs the side of Poe’s head. The prickles running against the grain make Poe shiver.

Finn’s voice gets a little rougher. ‘It suits you.’

‘It’ll grow back,’ Poe reminds him.

‘Looking forward to it,’ Finn smiles, and suddenly there’s nobody else in the room. Nor is there any air.

‘Save it for the aftermath, boys,’ Lando suggests. ‘We’ve got a heist to pull off.’


	6. The Boss Knows Where Your Thumbs Are

Part Two: The Heist

* * *

Lando smooth-talks his way into a handy docking spot in the Vardos port. They load out one by one, to keep from attracting attention. Poe goes last, pulling the cap onto his head and saluting Lando. He slips out of the Falcon’s ramp and into the bustling crowds. His head is bowed to avoid the drizzling rain: the weather’s on their side today.

Rose looks both outraged and adorable in her courier uniform. Poe falls into step with her as they pass a row of commercial freighters. Two armed security officers wait beside a repair shop. Poe nods at Finn and Jannah, and they take up positions just outside Poe’s peripheral vision. Tucked between a couple of food vendors is a manual cart with a pair of crates strapped to it. Rose and Poe grab its handle without breaking step. Poe taps the side of the bigger crate. Two soft thumps: Chewie’s comfortable. A light blinks through a hole in the smaller crate: BB’s got blasters ready for Poe and Rose.

It’s a straight walk from the port to the First Order facility. The cart has pneumatics to keep the weight manageable, but the rain makes it slippery. Poe and Rose try to keep from jostling Chewie as they push. Finn and Jannah are unflappable behind them. It’s eerie, the level of menacing composure they radiate. He hopes it’s eerie for the First Order.

They veer past the front of the building to a delivery lane around the side. Rose pushes the cart under the loading bay alcove while Finn walks up to the guard manning the door.

‘I got a delivery for a Mister Keebler,’ Poe’s voice is slow and nasal. The kind of voice you want to stop hearing the moment you hear it. In the corner of his eye, he catches Rose twitching at it.

The doorman presses the communicator on his shoulder. ‘Delivery for Mister Keebler,’ he repeats.

The comms squawk a question. He jerks his head at the crates. ‘What is it?’

‘Datatapes,’ Poe drones. He stares at the doorman like he’s about to fall asleep.

‘Uh, crate of datatapes,’ the doorman tells his comm. Another squawk, and the doorman hits a button. The roller door clunks unevenly up, and the doorman waves a hand. Poe doesn’t so much smile as press his lips together, joining Rose to push the crates inside.

They make it halfway to the elevator before someone more official-looking appears. She gestures a few Stormtroopers over. Up close, Poe can see how they’re posturing for the security officers. Finn and Jannah know this game, though, and they subtly square off. Poe struggles not to grin.

‘What’s in the box?’ the officer asks.

‘Delivery,’ Poe doesn’t look up from his datapad. ‘Datatapes for Mister Keebler.’

She knows this from the comms, and Poe knows she knows this. But unlike the doorman, she’s smart enough to gesture an order to the Stormtroopers. They lift the lids of both crates.

Inside, neatly packed, are rows and rows of datatapes. The trays are two tapes deep, padded to keep them from being damaged. Under the trays are a Wookiee and an astromech armed to the teeth, but the Stormtroopers don’t search that deep.

The officer purses her lips. Poe rests his elbows on the cart. ‘So, uh, what level is Keebler’s office?’

‘Three.’

‘Do we gotta beep up there, or…?’

She sighs expansively. Then she marches them to the elevators, uses her card to activate the elevator, and leaves them to it.

The moment the doors shut, Rose sighs. ‘That stick was so far up her ass it was hitting her teeth.’

Poe murmurs ‘Mm-hmm’ without looking at her. The elevator doors hiss open. Finn and Jannah take up posts on either side of the hall, and Poe pushes the cart through with Rose.

Jannah’s done her research. Keebler’s office is right next to the server vault. A pair of troopers stand at the end of the hall. They straighten as the cart approaches.

‘What’s this?’

‘Datatapes for Keebler,’ Poe rattles off.

Across the hall from Keebler’s office, a pencil-thin man with a pencil-thin moustache appears.

‘Keebler is in a meeting,’ he informs them, radiating an irrational degree of disdain at the concept of _meetings._ ‘I will take the delivery.’

‘Ahh, no can do,’ Poe clicks his tongue. ’Company policy requires a biometric scan for chain of custody transfers.’

Rose rolls her eyes theatrically. Pencil looks between the two of them.

‘I am authorised to sign off on deliveries,’ he informs them. ‘You are blocking the corridor.’

‘You think I like my boss knowing where my thumbs are all day?’ Poe shrugs. ‘It’s gotta be Keebler.’

Pencil’s voice gets very sharp. ‘Very well. I will summon him.’

Poe gives a tight nod. Jannah elbows Pencil in the nose, slamming his head back against the wall. Finn stuns one of the Stormtroopers as the other draws their blaster.

‘Wait!’ Finn shouts. ‘You don’t have to follow their orders.’

The Stormtrooper cocks their head to one side, and Jannah hits them with a stun blast. Poe winces, remembering how much they hurt.

Rose has hauled the lids off the crates. Chewie comes bursting out. BB zooms up to the server vault doors and jams his scomp link in the lock.

‘Were you just trying a mind trick?’ Poe asks, catching the blaster Rose tosses to him.

‘Shut up,’ Finn mutters. ‘I don’t know how it works, or _if_ it works.’

‘No time to find out,’ Jannah yanks her helmet off, and Finn does the same.

‘How did we _see_ in those things?’ he asks her.

‘We barely did.’

BB trills to let them know he’s almost unlocked the vault. Rose and Poe hurry to the door, while Finn and Jannah guard the hall.

‘Come on, come on, buddy!’ Poe says.

The doors hiss open. Poe rushes inside, and collides face-first with solid metal.

‘Breach,’ says a mechanical voice.

Poe looks up into the face of a KX-series security droid. He does not look at the hands of the KX-series security droid. Stupid, because the hand is what’s holding a blaster.

The droid shoots Poe in the stomach.


	7. A Cunning Plan

Poe comes to with the sound of at least three people yelling. He gasps, and it sends searing pain through his belly.

‘Poe!’ Finn shouts, very close to his face.

‘Hnnh?’ Poe winces, trying to sit up. He’s propped against something firm. Finn’s thighs.

Well, it’s one way to go.

‘I got shot?’ he asks. It comes out slurred.

Finn kneels protectively over him, blaster in one hand. ‘You gotta stop doing that.’

Poe mumbles an agreement. It’s drowned out by a clanging sound and a rush of air. Poe leans to check: the vault doors are shut. BB-8 rolls over to him, chittering in urgent binary.

‘Buddy,’ Poe rubs his head. ‘Go help Rose.’

He can only see the back of her as she works at the console. BB stays by his side.

Jannah snarls, and Chewie roars. From somewhere behind Poe comes a series of bangs and a crunch. A datatape goes spinning past.

‘Is it stuck?’ Jannah asks. Chewie hoots to confirm.

‘Why the _hell_ didn’t we know about the security droid?’ Finn asks.

‘Droids aren’t listed under First Order personnel!’ Rose tells him.

‘Door’s covered,’ Jannah shouts to Finn. ‘See to him.’

Finn’s hands are already in Poe’s shirt, tugging it up. There’s a lot more blood than Poe would like there to be. Finn bundles up Poe’s shirt to wipe some of the mess away, and Poe tries not to flinch as he watches. It’s hit him in the side, near the hip.

‘Nothing vital,’ he says, with all the medical authority he doesn’t have.

‘Let’s hope,’ Finn pulls the miniature med-pack from his belt.

‘Hold this,’ Finn orders him, pressing the shirt to stem the blood. Poe clamps his hand over Finn’s, and Finn rummages with his free hand for the spray-bandage. ‘He got you point-blank.’

‘Yeah, noticed that,’ Poe hisses through his teeth. ‘Did it go through?’

‘It’s wide and shallow,’ Finn explains, shaking the spray to prep it. ‘You must’ve been close enough to knock the muzzle.’

‘Lucky me,’ Poe ogles Finn’s bicep. He might as well, just in case he dies.

Finn lifts the shirt away and starts spraying. ‘Try not to move much, or it won’t hold.’

‘Buddy, I’d _love_ not to move,’ Poe tells him. ‘But we gotta get outta here.’

The stinging heat in his belly is replaced by the tight coolness of the bandage. Finn wipes his hand on Poe’s ruined shirt. Then he’s cradling Poe’s neck, guiding him to sit up.

‘Leave that to me,’ Finn tells him. ‘Rose! How are we going?’

Rose shouts in frustration. ‘Could be better!’

Poe’s slightly hazy, distracted by the way Finn’s palm is resting on his bare chest.

‘Someone’s gonna notice the three guys in the hallway,’ Jannah warns her.

‘We have a bigger problem,’ Rose says. ‘This data is _huge._ The Project Resurrection files aren’t going to fit on our code cylinders.’

Chewie calls out a suggestion.

‘That would be great if our datatapes were _real datatapes_ and not Poe’s _very cunning fakes,’_ Rose growls.

‘Why not use one of these?’ Poe gestures at the tapes scattered across the floor from the fight with the droid.

‘Do you even know what a writeable datatape looks like?’ Rose doesn’t look over her shoulder.

‘Sorry, Rose!’ Finn speaks on Poe’s behalf. ‘Do what you gotta do.’

‘I gotta decrypt one of these, see if it’s worth anything,’ Rose types so fast it sounds like whirring. ‘There’s 200 000 personnel files in Project Resurrection, I don’t know which ones...’

Poe gets a proper grip on Finn’s hand, and carefully pulls himself to his feet. ‘Is there another way out of this vault?’

Finn shakes his head.

‘Ugh!’ Rose smacks the console. ‘The files are this big _on purpose!_ They’re hiding the real information inside a maze of junk data.’

BB-8 beeps at them.

‘Can we store it on BB-8?’ Poe asks.

‘It’d be useless,’ Rose explains. ‘We can only run decryption on a Vardos operating system.’

‘How long would that take?’ there’s a note of panic in Finn’s voice now.

‘Hours,’ Rose says.

‘We have _minutes,’_ Jannah reminds everyone.

There’s a metallic screech, and Chewie sends a pile of tapes clattering across the floor.

‘The droid!’ Finn realises. ‘Can we load it all onto the security droid?’

Rose makes a long, uncertain noise. ‘Bring it over.’

Chewie drags the limp droid over to the console. Rose flips open the back of its head and jams a cable in. She returns to the keypad, and peers at the screen.

‘ _Yes!_ Yes, the droid can run decryption. One minute to transfer!’

It feels like the longest minute of Poe’s life. His side throbs, and his hands are too sweaty to grip his blaster properly. BB stands ready at the vault lock, and Chewie starts strapping the KX droid to his back.

‘Exit Plan B?’ Jannah checks.

‘Fast as we can,’ Finn confirms. ‘Chewie, you take the KX, I’ve got Poe. Rose and BB, do _not_ get shot. Jannah, cover fire.’

‘Got it!’ she says. Rose tugs the cord out of the droid and Chewie stands up. They gather at the vault doors. Poe tries to stand on his own. He can’t quite get a full breath of air, but he grips his blaster in both hands and nods at Finn.

BB-8 beeps a question.

‘Do it,’ Poe tells him.

BB opens the vault doors. The two troopers and Pencil are still unconscious in the hallway, but there’s the sound of running footsteps in a nearby corridor. The elevator door pings and Finn steers the team to the left, bursting through the door to the stairs.

Poe yelps as Finn scoops him off his feet. Finn’s got one arm around Poe’s back, the other under his knees. Poe makes an undignified noise, clinging onto Finn’s neck.

‘Watch my back,’ Finn suggests, hurrying down the stairs with the team. Poe aims his blaster over Finn’s shoulder. Sure enough, a pair of Stormtroopers appear behind them. He fires. The stunner hits one trooper, who collides into the other.

Something whizzes past Poe’s ear. He cranes his neck to see BB-8’s cables whipping across the stairwell like grappling hooks. BB beeps shrilly from two floors down, and the sound is followed by a blast from Chewie’s bowcaster.

‘Door’s clear!’ Jannah announces. Finn barrels down the stairs so fast Poe’s scared he’ll trip. Every step is jostling his wound but he grinds his teeth and tries to focus on their six.

Finn only puts him down when they’re clearing the roller doors. Poe is drenched in sweat, while Finn’s barely out of breath. It takes a split second to check his wound hasn’t re-opened, then they’re outside.

Poe reels. The rushing isn’t in his head: it’s a rainstorm.

‘This is gonna slow us down!’ Rose says.

‘It’s good cover!’ Jannah assures her. ‘We only have to make it to the port.’

Finn bends down and Poe throws a hand out to stop him.

‘I can run,’ he tells him. There’s no way they won’t fall or get shot if Finn tries to carry him in the downpour.

‘I’ve got you if you can’t,’ Finn insists. He takes Poe’s hand, switching the blaster to his left.

‘Go, go, go!’ Jannah urges them. ‘Chewie, clear the way ahead!’

Chewie surges forward. The lenticular eyes of the droid on his back seem to glare at Poe. He shakes his head, letting Finn pull him along.

One foot in front of the other. Ignore the tugging at his waist. Check over his shoulder for any Stormtroopers following. Match Finn’s pace, boots hitting the ground in a rhythm. The port’s not far. It’s not far.

‘Come on, come on, _come on,’_ Finn is chanting. A blaster shot bounces off a street sign above their heads. The crowd around the port is parting for the wet Wookiee approaching at a dead sprint. Rose and BB follow the path he carves. Poe snarls through the pain, through the water that feels like it’s trying to shove him to the ground. He holds Finn’s hand so tight his bones creak. Blood pounds in his ears, and it’s probably leaking down his hip as well. The visibility is getting worse. His foot catches on something and his knee cracks against the ground.

‘No, you don’t!’ Finn hauls him up again. Poe keeps moving, but it’s harder, like he’s running uphill. Then the team is shouting and Poe tumbles flat on his face in the dry, familiar loading room of the Falcon.

He stays there, for a bit. Everyone around him is panting, and then the panting turns to cheers.

That sounds like a good sign, so Poe passes out.


	8. A Medal Overdue

Poe flinches. He scrunches up his face, trying to wriggle away, but cool air keeps blowing on his skin. He swings a hand to block it. A soft _bwarp_ greets him.

‘BB?’ he croaks, opening one eye. BB-8’s air nozzle is pointed at his face. ‘I’m awake, buddy.’

‘Glad to hear it,’ Finn appears behind BB. Then Poe is warm, and everything gets very soft. A towel. Finn is rubbing him gently. Poe groans, registering how much of him hurts, and how much more of him is unpleasantly clammy. He’s been propped up on a crate near the ‘fresher.

‘Is everyone okay?’ he asks.

Finn smiles wryly. ‘Everyone except you.’

‘I’m fine,’ Poe drags himself into a sitting position. Mostly, Finn is doing the manoeuvring. He keeps towelling Poe as he does.

‘We’ll see,’ Finn bites his lip. Poe stares. He can always say it’s because he’s still stunned. Finn guides his arms up, and Poe tries not to wriggle as Finn starts rubbing his sides.

‘Hey, hey, I can do that,’ Poe insists. Finn is grinning at him while Poe takes the towel. He picks up a bottle instead, offering it to Poe.

Poe takes a few gulps of water. It doesn’t hurt his belly to swallow, so that’s a good sign. He takes a heavy breath, and looks properly at Finn.

‘How long was I out?’

‘Few minutes,’ Finn says.

‘Probably just shock,’ Poe nods.

‘You hit your head when you got shot,’ Finn reminds him.

Poe reaches up to feel for a lump, and startles at his own fuzzy scalp. ‘Huh. Forgot I did that.’

‘I’m still getting used to it,’ Finn admits. His thumb comes up to brush Poe’s cheek. ‘This is coming back already, though.’

Poe nods. He realises how often he rubs his hair when he talks to Finn, because his hand is already in place.

‘Oh, yep,’ Poe cringes. ‘Found the egg.’

Finn runs the medical scanner over it. ‘Just a bruise. Should go down once we give you your shots.’

Poe looks down to check how the spray held. Then he remembers he’s wearing very little beside wet shorts.

Well, he can only hope Finn is enjoying the view.

He finishes drying himself off. Finn busies himself with the medical kit while Poe gets out of his shorts and boots. Finn points to a fresh towel without looking up, so Poe wraps it around his hips, slung low to give the blaster wound a wide berth. He sits back at the crate and Finn is ready with a shot of anti-inflammatories. Poe offers his arm and Finn holds it by the elbow. He administers the shot so smoothly that Poe barely feels it: pilots usually jab themselves mid-dogfight, so maybe it’s not _you’re so good at this_ but _I’m so bad at this._

Finn adds another layer of spray-bandage, and Poe tries not to twitch. He focuses on Finn’s face, watching Finn’s eyelashes while Finn examines Poe’s skin. Between the water, the towel, and the jab, Poe’s senses are starting to collect themselves. It’s getting difficult not to think about Finn standing between his parted thighs, fingertips near Poe’s navel as he checks he hasn’t missed anywhere.

Finn unrolls a length of gauze, motioning for Poe to raise his arms. Poe shuffles forward so they’re even closer together, and Finn starts winding the gauze around his waist.

‘Hey,’ Poe says. It comes out gravelly.

‘Hi,’ Finn smiles briefly at him, leaning in as he catches a loop between his hands.

‘I didn’t thank you,’ Poe says. ‘For carrying me.’

Finn gives a half-shrug, looking down at his work. ‘You’re lighter than you look.’

‘You saved my life,’ Poe chuckles. It tugs the injured muscles in his side, but not so much it hurts. ‘You ever get sick of me saying that?’

‘You ever get sick of playing the hero?’ Finn raises an eyebrow.

‘Ugh,’ Poe slouches, while Finn slides a finger into the edge of the bandaging to check it’s not too tight. ‘If a droid killed me, I’d probably die of shame.’

‘You’d already be dead, because the droid killed you,’ Finn tells him.

Poe grimaces. BB chirps at him.

‘Both of you have,’ Poe smiles. ‘More times’n I can count.’

Finn’s hand comes to rest on his abdomen. ‘Not too tight?’

‘Nah,’ Poe shakes his head. ‘Feels good.’

Finn’s hand moves up. It slips over Poe’s solar plexus to his chest.

’Still feel good?’ Finn asks.

He must be able to feel Poe’s heart. The shallow rise and fall of his chest as he tries to breathe, because now _too tight_ is not about the bandage at all. Now Finn’s fingers are sliding up over Poe’s collarbone, the rough pads of them finding the hollows there. Poe reaches up instinctively, covering Finn’s hand with his. He follows Finn’s hand as it starts to slide around his neck, and—

‘Wait,’ Poe gasps, and Finn steps back. Poe’s hand slaps down in the place of Finn’s, reaching across his neck, then his chest. ‘Where’s my—‘

His chain is gone. Panic plummets through him, like he’s squeezing his own throat shut. ‘No, no, nono _nono…’_

It can’t be lost. It can’t be—

‘Your necklace,’ Finn puts a hand on his thigh. ‘Hold on a sec, it’s okay.’

He pats his pockets, and Poe’s heart restarts the moment Finn fishes out the chain. Finn takes Poe’s hand. He spills it into Poe’s palm, the ring landing on top.

‘Oh, buddy…’ Poe’s voice cracks.

‘Rose found it on the boarding ramp,’ Finn says.

Relief bursts out of Poe, wet and vulnerable.

‘I’ll thank her,’ he says hoarsely. He finds the link in the chain that broke, and strings the ring back on. BB calls him over, so Poe hops off the crate and crouches. The knee he fell on complains, but BB takes the chain and welds it as quickly as he’d mend a broken fuse. He cools it with his nozzle, and gives Poe’s face a reassuring puff of air when it’s done. Poe laughs, wiping his cheeks with the side of his hand.

‘Here,’ Finn takes the chain from BB, and slips it around Poe’s neck. Poe grabs the ring automatically, centring it over his chest, running his nail around to find the scratch.

‘Was it your mom’s?’ Finn asks.

Poe nods. He opens his fist to show the ring. Finn studies it without touching, while Poe lets the weight of it sink into his palm until he can breathe properly again.

‘She’d have liked you,’ Poe murmurs.

‘That’s…’ Finn looks him in the eye. ‘That’s, wow. Thank you.’

Poe shrugs. ‘You’d gang up and make fun of me.’

‘Oh, I see,’ Finn tips his chin up, playing smug.

‘Wait, how’d you know it was hers?’ Poe peers at him. ‘Did you read my mind?’

Finn scoffs. ‘You touch it when you’re nervous. I knew you’d lost her, and I’ve never seen you without it.’

It’s usually hiding under Poe’s shirt, unless you know to look. Poe files that thought way for another time.

*

The team greet him cheerfully as he returns to the main hold, fully dressed. Backs are slapped—Poe’s gently—and Lando confirms they’re en route back to Ajan Kloss.

‘Rose,’ Poe pulls her aside. ‘Finn said you found my chain.’

‘Yeah,’ Rose says. ‘It was caught on a hinge.’

‘Thank you,’ Poe says quietly.

‘It’s okay,’ Rose nods. ’I know what it means, when you have…’

Rose fishes her Otomok pendant out of her jumpsuit. She smiles tightly, eyes shining.

Poe bites his lip until it stings. There’s no right way to say this, but he has to say it. ‘Rose. I’m so sorry she’s gone.’

Rose looks up at the ceiling, like she’s willing herself to hold it together.

‘I know,’ she says, voice going thin. ‘Me too.’

‘Do you wanna hug?’ Poe asks. Rose nods rapidly, and Poe pulls her into an embrace. They cling tight, like they can prop each other up and refrain from collapsing into tears.

Something fluffy smothers Poe’s head, and he feels Rose laughing. Chewie crows sympathetically and rubs their scalps.

‘Thanks,’ Poe laughs as Chewie envelops them both. ‘Thank you, Chewie.’

When they pull away, Chewie reaches into his satchel. He shows them his medal, turning it proudly so it catches the light.

‘Oh, Chewie,’ Rose wipes her eyes. ‘That’s lovely.’

Poe squeezes Rose around the shoulders. ‘Hey, anything I can do to make it up to you for finding this. Just name it.’

Rose shoves him lightly. ‘Grow your hair back. It’s weird looking at you.’

*

Rose and Chewie spend most of the evening tinkering with the stolen droid. Rose secures a restraining bolt to stop it harming anyone—more than it already has—and fixes the damage they did to it in the vault. They prop it in the corner of the main hold, where it slouches like a drunken ragdoll.

‘The designation is K-330,’ Rose taps on the chestplate.

‘Kayth…?’ Jannah pulls a face. ‘Think he’ll respond to Keeo?’

‘I think it’ll respond to threats,’ Finn folds his arms.

‘BB-8, you’re up,’ Rose tells him, flipping open the back of Keeo’s head. BB rolls cautiously over, scomp link held out.

‘Never liked this part,’ Lando mutters.

‘Hit it,’ Rose says. BB plugs in and turns Keeo on. Its head jerks up and BB-8 goes clattering backwards.

 _’Intruders!’_ he snarls. His shoulders square, and everyone on the team takes a step away. ‘Vault breach level three.’

The droid emits a warning klaxon so loud that Chewie claps his hand over his ears.

‘Stop!’ Finn shouts. ‘K-330: Keeo. You have a restraining bolt in.’

Keeo’s head bends sharply to look at Finn. ‘Rebels.’

Finn glares back. ‘That’s right.’

‘Corellian freighter,’ Keeo observes. His voice is slow and grating.

‘The Millennium Falcon,’ Lando says. ‘You’re gonna like it here.’

‘Rebels do not dictate what I like,’ the droid hisses. ‘Regardless of restraining bolts.’

‘Suit yourself,’ Jannah tells him. ‘You have data we need decrypted.’

‘You have ribs I could remove from your chest,’ Keeo responds. Jannah rolls her eyes.

‘Project Resurrection,’ Finn snaps his fingers. ‘Do you have the files?’

Keeo’s head tilts back, like he’s considering. Eventually, he answers: ‘I have the files.’

‘Can you decrypt the files?’ Rose presses.

Every time someone speaks, Keeo’s head jerks to them after a moment’s delay. Poe’s fingers twitch for a blaster.

’I possess the capacity,’ Keeo admits.

‘Droid,’ Jannah growls. ‘Would you _kindly_ decrypt data on every Stormtrooper and cadet taken by the First Order.’

‘This command has been received,’ Keeo answers.

‘Is that a yes?’ Lando prompts.

‘It is the most honest answer I can give with a restraining bolt in,’ Keeo drawls.

Finn snorts. ‘Wow. We picked a charmer.’

‘Just decrypt the damn files,’ Poe tells Keeo.

‘How’s the blaster wound?’ Keeo asks.

‘Barely felt it,’ Poe snaps. BB backs him up with something very rude in binary.

‘Come closer, little one,’ Keeo beckons a spindly finger at him. ‘Such a precariously-attached head you have.’

Poe’s hackles rise. BB comes tumbling into his shins, and Poe pets him protectively.

‘Run the decryption,’ Poe says. _‘Now.’_

Keeo’s eyes turn from yellow to grey. His head drops to his chest.

Finn tips his chin back with a low ‘ugh.’

‘Well, you did pick the droid that shot me,’ Poe bends down to rub BB’s tummy.

‘We weren’t exactly spoilt for choice,’ Jannah reminds them. ‘How _is_ the wound?’

‘Caught it so close it went shallow,’ Poe lifts his shirt to show the bandage. ‘Finn patched me up good.’

She glances between them. ‘If you don’t mind my asking, are the two of— _what is that?!’_

Everyone whips around to where she’s pointing. Rose has her shock prod in hand instantly.

‘Oh!’ Finn starts laughing. ‘That’s a porg.’

Chewie groans, and the porg squeaks. It flutters down from its nest in the circuit bay, waddling across the floor. Rose crouches down and offers her hand.

‘Didn’t you get rid of these?’ Lando sighs as Rose picks it up, chirping at it.

‘Uhh,’ Poe grimaces.

‘We think they got in the walls,’ Finn admits.

Rose tips the porg into Jannah’s hands. It squawks at her, and she makes a high-pitched noise when it runs up her arm to her shoulder.

‘Oh,’ Jannah bites her lip. ‘Those _eyes!’_

‘Take as many as you want,’ Lando throws his hands up. ‘Let’s pray they don’t eat the hyperdrive.’

*

Poe finds Lando in the cockpit, with his feet kicked up on the dash.

‘You wanna fly, kid?’ he asks.

’Nah, you got this,’ Poe smiles. He watches the lines of the stars shoot past them.

‘Not much to it in hyperspace,’ Lando agrees.

‘Why’d you say you needed me piloting?’ Poe asks. ‘You handle her better than I do.’

‘You think so?’ Lando winks at him.

‘Course,’ Poe shrugs. ‘I’d kick your ass in an X-Wing, though.’

Lando barks out a laugh. ‘I’m sure you would. You grew up in one, didn’t you?’

‘Yeah,’ Poe grins. ‘Can’t deal with this sideways cockpit, though.’

‘Well, the Falcon’s eccentric,’ Lando runs his fingers along the dials. ‘I’ve known her since before she was a ship.’

Poe guesses there’s a story there. ‘You handled this mission with her just fine.’

‘Sure, but it’s only luck we didn’t need defensive flying,’ Lando says. ‘Anyway, the kid needed you.’

‘Finn’s not a kid,’ Poe says automatically.

‘You’re both kids,’ Lando chuckles. ‘It’s like I said. We get it done because we do it together.’

‘Huh,’ Poe nods.

‘Why don’t you take a seat?’ Lando gestures. ‘Let me show you some of her finer points.’

Poe ends up asleep at the dash, but he wakes up in his bed the next morning.


	9. What If The Droid Has Bad Vibes?

The Resistance base on Ajan Kloss is still standing, despite its Generals being absent for two days. Poe makes D’Acy a General too, because nobody’s tried to stop him handing out promotions and he’s not sure anyone can.

It takes another week for Keeo to decrypt all the Project Resurrection data. They leave him on the Falcon, where he can sulk to himself and remind anyone who comes aboard how many breakable fingers they have.

‘We’ve got it!’ Jannah announces, and Poe abruptly dismisses the Nautolan ambassador who’d been grating his nerves. Finn clears the desk and Jannah plugs a code cylinder into the main display.

‘Files on every child taken as part of Project Resurrection,’ Jannah describes the flurry of information. She stops at one display. ‘This one’s mine.’

There’s a holo of her, maybe eight years old. Poe rubs his knuckles over his mouth: it’s one thing to _know_ they were children, and another to _see_ it.

Most of the text involves assessment results, notes from superiors, that kind of thing. It’s stamped everywhere with _CLASSIFIED._

‘Took us a minute to find anything useful,’ she pops open a different tab. ‘They buried it deep.’

‘We’re not the first people to go looking for lost kids,’ Finn guesses.

Jannah smiles at him. ‘They’ve been searching for us, too.’

Poe takes Finn’s hand under the table, and squeezes it. Finn weaves their fingers together.

‘Look at this,’ Jannah says. ‘The good stuff under medical.’

Finn peers at the screen. ‘Age, allergies, genetic predispositions. They’re clues…’

‘Wait, wait, what’s this?’ Poe releases Finn’s hand to point at the string of digits near the bottom.

Jannah pulls it up. Poe grabs a datapad and taps furiously.

‘It looks like… just give me a second,’ he growls at the loading screen. ‘It is! YES!’

‘What is it?’ Finn elbows him.

‘It’s a chain code!’ Poe pumps his fist. ‘Jannah, it’s _your_ chain code!’

‘What’s a chain code?’ Finn asks.

‘A string of numbers that identify all births registered in the Republic,’ Poe explains. ‘They’re usually only interesting for administration and bounty hunters. They list homeworld, coordinates, species, birthday, that sort of thing.’

Jannah laughs in disbelief. ‘I have a birthday.’

‘Jannah,’ Poe shakes his head, unable to keep the smile off his face. ‘You have a _homeworld.’_

*

Finn doesn’t have a chain code.

They cajole and threaten Keeo, who remains adamant the file is uncorrupted. But where every member of Company 77 has a chain code buried at the end of their medical records, Finn’s is a blank line.

There’s a year: Finn is 24, like most of his batch of cadets. Rose runs through the file a dozen times. There’s no edit history to suggest the code been deleted: it was never entered. She finds a section left empty in the Company 77 files that reads E-75: 12 on Finn’s, but none of them can decipher the context.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Finn says. ‘We’ll have our hands full with the Company. I’m sure we’ll stumble across something.’

‘We’ll figure out what it is,’ Rose promises.

‘We’ll figure _something_ out,’ Poe tells him.

Poe follows Finn outside after the meeting.

‘Hey,’ he takes Finn by the elbow. ‘It’s okay to not be okay about this.’

‘Great,’ Finn mutters. ‘Because I’m not.’

‘We had backup plans if nobody had a code,’ Poe reminds him. ‘And who knows: while we’re looking for the others, we might—‘

‘—I know that, alright?’ Finn snaps. He scratches the back of his neck and exhales hard through his nose. ‘I _know._ I just… need you to stop telling me it’s okay right now, okay?’

‘Whatever you need,’ Poe tries not to crowd him. His hand ends up on Finn’s back, steadying him.

‘It was stupid,’ Finn’s voice breaks, and Poe’s heart goes with it. ‘I never really expected anything until they found it, then I _hoped…’_

‘That’s not stupid,’ Poe says softly. ‘I hoped so too.’

Finn laughs, and it doesn’t sound happy. ‘Thought you’d say my real family was here.’

‘Not really the sentiment you wanna hear right now though, is it?’

‘No.’

‘Finn, if you have a family, I’d wanna meet them. Same as—‘ there’s a lump the size of a fist in Poe’s throat. ‘Same as I wish you could’ve met my mom.’

Finn stills. ‘Poe…’

‘I mean, my dad’s still back home and he hears all about you,’ Poe rambles. ‘Sorry. Not important right now.’

_‘Poe.’_

Finn tumbles into a hug, almost knocking Poe over. Poe holds him tight, and can’t help but notice how the blaster wound no longer makes him tense up. Finn’s face is damp on Poe’s shoulder. Poe cradles the back of his neck, murmuring wordless comforts.

‘This sucks,’ Finn mumbles.

‘Yeah,’ Poe agrees. ‘It really sucks, buddy.’

They take another minute, and a minute longer.

‘Okay,’ Finn heaves a sigh. ‘Back to being Generals?’

Poe sags with exhaustion. ‘In the morning.’

‘Afternoon, for me,’ Finn recalls. ‘I’ve got training.’

Poe groans. ‘You gonna be okay?’

Finn gives a little shrug. His eyes are still shimmering, but he’s got that wry smile back on his face. ‘Always.’

*

‘You’ve gotta have _something,’_ Poe groans.

‘I have the ability to crush your skulls with my hands,’ Keeo replies.

‘You know, that’s really only scary the first ten times you say it,’ Rose informs him.

‘It is not against my restraints to make you bored or angry,’ Keeo says. ‘One must suffice.’

Poe glares at him. He’s never liked droids that talk without a mouth, and this one is easily the worst. Rose jams her screwdriver in Keeo’s hip harder than is probably necessary.

‘I don’t know why you bother,’ Keeo watches her. ‘It’s not as if I will be permitted to walk away. Or kick anyone to death.’

‘Maybe going for walks will improve your disposition,’ Poe suggests.

‘Still fighting with the droid?’ Finn arrives in the main hold, slapping Poe on the shoulder. Rey follows him in with D-O. The little droid takes one look at Keeo, says ’N-n- _no,_ thank you!’ and leaves.

‘Are you fixing him up?’ Rey asks Rose, crouching beside her.

‘Yeah, figured he could carry stuff around,’ Rose links up a wire and sparks come out.

‘I see we are not above forcing prisoners into menial labour,’ Keeo notes, while Rey tugs his leg straight to give Rose the space she needs.

‘Just think how many people you can sneak up behind,’ Rose suggests. Rey snorts.

‘I am amenable to this,’ Keeo admits.

 _‘I’m_ not,’ Finn mutters.

‘Could we reprogram his personality to be _anything_ else?’ Poe asks.

‘Not without risking the data,’ Rose lays Keeo on his face. She and Rey start work on his spine.

‘If you reprogram me to be _nice,’_ Keeo’s voice is muffled, but the whining tone cuts through anything. ‘You’ll always know it’s only because you reprogrammed me.’

Poe sighs. ‘At least you’d be nice.’

‘Hmm,’ Finn drums his fingers on the dejarik table. He tilts his head until he meets Poe’s eye.

Poe gives him the quick nod they’ve practiced in strategy meetings. _We’ll talk about it later._

Later has to come after a full afternoon at headquarters. Half the cogs in the First Order machine still function as well as they did without a Supreme Leader: Moffs are staking their claims on sectors. Poe sends support to the worlds that ask for it. He worries about the worlds that don’t have a chance to ask.

It’s approaching midnight when they get to the mess hall. The dinner shift is finished, but there’s always pots of rice and stew left on the stove for latecomers. They spoon out generous helpings and head to the centre tables, which are usually occupied by the time Poe gets to eat. Like most buildings on the base, the mess hall has temporary flooring on the grass and a row of tarpaulins strung overhead. The tarps make sharp, intermittent noises as fat drops of rain smack down. Ajan Kloss’ wet season is beginning.

‘Credit for your thoughts?’ Poe asks.

Finn chews for a while, his fork hovering while he thinks.

‘Keeo said if we reprogram him to be free,’ Finn grimaces, licking his teeth like something’s stuck there. ‘He wouldn’t _actually_ be free.’

Poe sighs, rolling his mug of tea in circles on the table. ‘I mean… free will is free will, right? If we let him make his own choices, maybe he still chooses to be an asshole.’

Finn snorts, but he doesn’t reply. He pushes food around his plate without looking, while Poe rests his chin on his knuckles. After a minute, Finn meets his eye again.

‘When we were on Vardos,’ he says. ‘That trooper I yelled at. I’m pretty sure I just surprised them.’

‘Yeah?’

’Today, in training,’ Finn explains. ‘Rey showed me how she does it. It’s like… talking with your whole body?’

‘Okay,’ Poe doesn’t understand, but he’s not going to discourage Finn.

‘She learned it from copying Ren,’ Finn pulls a face.

Poe chews on the inside of his cheek. ‘Huh.’

He remembers. Strapped down, and feeling like he was falling anyway. He was on the edge of a cliff, pulling and scrambling with all his strength but still slipping, the truth falling out of him. The realisation that it was too late, he’d failed, Ren had won, rushing up to meet him like the hard ground below.

He remembers a wave of it like backwash when Rey used it on the Stormtroopers.

‘If I trick them into defecting,’ Finn says. ‘Am I just another person telling them what to do?’

Poe sighs. He takes Finn’s fork and puts it back on the table, then slides his thumb into Finn’s curled fingers.

‘They wear off,’ Poe explains. ‘Mind tricks.’

‘We’ve never tested—‘

‘They wear off,’ Poe repeats.

Finn’s face falls. He clenches Poe’s thumb. Poe continues before Finn can pity him. ‘So maybe what you do is plant a seed—with the Force, or just an idea—and they decide whether to water the seed.’

‘Yeah,’ Finn’s voice shudders a little. ‘Yeah, that sounds good.’

He lets go of Poe’s hand to finish eating, and Poe does the same. The rain gets too heavy to talk, so Finn nudges Poe’s foot with his own, and they pass the time in silence.


	10. A Nice Way of Saying Poster Boy

Poe has never dealt well with hurry-up-and-wait. Rose researches the homeworlds listed in Company 77’s chain codes, and Lando wires Keeo into the Falcon’s navigation system to chart the smoothest route between them. The whole team won’t fit on the Falcon, but Lando persuades Wedge Antilles to loan them a corvette on his next trip back from the Core Worlds. Chewie and Lando will bring the Falcon as an escort, in case of trouble.

‘So we need someone who can pilot the corvette,’ Jannah explains.

‘I know a guy who can fly anything,’ Finn grins.

‘Finn,’ Poe warns. ‘This isn’t going to be an overnight hop. You’ll be away on this mission for _months.’_

 _‘We’ll_ be away for months,’ Finn nods. ‘Don’t insult D’Acy by implying she can’t handle it.’

‘I’m not insulted,’ D’Acy chuckles.

Poe sighs. ‘I’ve got responsibilities…’

‘I know how much you love those,’ Finn gives him a sarcastic thumbs-up.

‘You’re more or less the figurehead of the Resistance,’ D’Acy points out. ’These worlds have been torn apart by the First Order. They’ll want to see a friendly face.’

‘Pack your bags,’ Finn smiles. ‘Antilles gets here the day after tomorrow.’

‘General Calrissian,’ D’Acy turns to Lando. ’Show me the areas and approximate dates when you’ll be out of comm range.’

Finn frowns, leaning over to murmur in Poe’s ear. ‘Did we know he was a General too?’

Poe shakes his head. ‘I’d forgotten. Would’ve been for the Rebels, technically, not the Resistance.’

‘He told me once he used to run a city,’ Finn notes. ‘Think he could hold down the fort?’

‘Think he’d agree to get left behind?’ Poe asks.

Finn clicks his tongue.

‘Hey,’ Poe tilts his head so only Finn can see him talking. ‘Is _figurehead_ a nice way of saying I’m useless?’

‘It’s a nice way of saying _poster boy,’_ Finn smirks. ‘Better hope they still recognise you without the hair.’

Poe rolls his eyes. It’s growing back, but at this point it’s the principle of the thing.

*

Poe wrangles a few hours to himself on Finn’s last morning of training. He treks through the jungle, following a well-worn groove in the earth where BB-8 has followed Rey, Finn, and Leia before that. He passes a grove of trees severed at too-clean angles. Green shoots are starting to sprout from the stumps, and the logs nearby are gathering moss. Poe listens for the hum of a saber, but there’s only birdsong. He cocks his head: he can never tell if the colourful flocks of parrots around the base are fighting or socialising.

A clearing opens up below him. There’s the telltale white-and-orange of BB-8, sitting next to Finn. He and Rey are cross-legged, a few feet apart, facing away from each other.

Poe finds a low branch and hops up on it to wait. He watches the two of them, still while the forest stirs constantly around them: lizards dart in the underbrush, and a breeze ruffles the greenery. BB rocks back and forth, and Poe almost wants to call him over.

Leia never talked much about her Jedi training. Or maybe Poe never asked her. He knows broad strokes and odd details of the creed. One part keeps springing to mind: under the Old Republic, falling in love was forbidden. Poe tips his head back until it thumps against the trunk of the tree. It’s a foolish worry, and a selfish one. Jedi aren’t meant to be foolish or selfish, either. Good thing he’s never planning on becoming a Jedi.

The Jedi Order used to take Force-sensitive children for training at a young age. Maybe it was for their own good—he’s seen more than enough of Rey losing control—or maybe it kept them disciplined. Kept them from distractions, so they were loyal to the Order. Poe picks at a knot of bark as he thinks it over. He’s not sure he likes the familiarity of that narrative.

This isn’t the Old Republic. This is Rey, trained by Luke Skywalker, training Finn. But some things stay the same: being a Jedi is a higher calling. It’s something bigger than the Resistance, and a lot more important than the errant heart of a hotheaded pilot.

He knows that Jedi are lonely.

‘You gonna come down here?’ Finn calls. Poe nearly falls out of the tree. He scrambles to his feet and slides down into the gully. BB-8 chirps a greeting, and Rey waves.

‘Alright, I’m gonna run the course,’ she picks up a helmet. ‘See you in a bit.’

Rey takes off at a run, while Finn gets up and brushes leaves off himself.

‘Can’t sneak up on you anymore, can I?’ Poe jokes.

‘We were talking,’ Finn explains, waving his hand to show he means with the Force. ‘So I was listening. Heard you worrying.’

‘I wasn’t—‘ Poe starts, but Finn levels him with a look. ‘Okay, spooky.’

‘Wanna tell me what it was about?’

‘You can’t tell?’

‘It doesn’t work like that,’ Finn shrugs. ‘Even if it did, I’d rather you tell me.’

Poe sighs, scratching the back of his neck. Curls are starting to form again. ‘How’s it going? The Jedi stuff?’

Finn wiggles his hand. ‘It’s not Jedi stuff yet. Just Force stuff.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah, uh,’ Finn purses his lips as he comes up with an explanation. ‘It’s like learning to fly a freighter, instead of an X-Wing.’

Poe nods. ‘Working your way up to an X-Wing?’

‘Eh,’ Finn shrugs. ‘I still like a blaster better than a lightsaber. Can’t move so much as a leaf with my mind.’

‘Well, you’ve always got your hands,’ Poe commiserates. Finn snorts.

‘Exactly. Rey says it’s probably holding me back, knowing there are easier ways to do it.’

‘She thinks you’re holding back?’ Poe frowns.

Finn nods, not looking particularly upset about it. ‘I am. I already know how to fight. The mind tricks freak me out. And Jedi are meant to control their feelings. That’s not really something I’ve ever been good at.’

‘Are you,’ Poe pulls a face, trying to find the right words. ‘Do you _want_ to be good at it?’

Finn takes a rough breath in and out. ‘If I do this, I’m not meant to be afraid. Or angry. But the things we know, what we’ve seen… we _should_ be afraid of the First Order. We should be angry at what they’ve done.’

He doesn’t say _to me,_ but Poe understands.

‘Before Exegol, Rey was scared of turning to the Sith,’ Finn continues.

‘Is she—?’ Poe looks up from the clearing. Finn shakes his head.

‘She’s on the other side of the ridge.’

‘Still spooky.’

‘Yeah,’ Finn nods. ‘Sorry.’

Poe waves it off.

‘The way things were going…’ Finn looks down, shaking his head. ‘I thought, maybe—if it came to it—I’d have to be the one.’

‘The one to…?’

‘Stop her,’ Finn finishes.

Poe frowns. ‘Did she ask you to?’

‘No,’ Finn sighs. ‘But that’s the kind of choice a Jedi makes. Setting aside your fear, doing what you have to do. Even if it’s someone you love.’

‘Would you still do it?’ Poe finds the edge of the chain under his shirt collar, smoothing it with his finger.

‘Do you see any free kyber crystals lying around?’ Finn retorts. ‘She’s okay now. I just… I don’t think I want to become that person. I don’t think I’d _like_ that person.’

‘It’s okay,’ Poe says. ‘If you don’t want to do this.’

Because Poe is not a Jedi, so he can be worried and selfish and foolish on Finn’s behalf.

‘The chain code thing,’ Finn says. ‘Maybe it’s a sign I’m meant to stay here. Commit to this.’

‘You think so?’ Poe tries to keep his voice neutral.

‘I don’t know,’ Finn’s shoulders go slack. ‘I _should_ keep training. But the more I do this, the more I listen to the Force… it’s like it’s pushing me somewhere else.’

‘Maybe that’s it,’ Poe holds his hand up. ‘Look, I’ve got no idea about the Force and I never have. But if you say it’s like flying an X-Wing…’

Finn laughs, punching him lightly.

’It’s not just about what you _should_ do,’ Poe continues. ‘It’s about what you want to do. And I don’t think you could do this if your heart wasn’t in it.’

‘Okay,’ Finn scuffs his feet in the dirt. ‘I’ll talk to Rey.’

‘Good,’ Poe hugs him around the shoulders. ‘You’re gonna be okay, Finn.’

‘Thanks,’ Finn lingers for a second before letting him go. ‘Poe? Whatever we do. I want you with me.’

‘Hey,’ Poe holds him at arm’s length, to look him in the eye. ’You got me, buddy.’

If Finn could feel Poe worrying from up on the ridge, he doesn’t want to think about what Finn can sense now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some news: I finished drafting this story! That means I can _promise_ this won't be a never-ending WIP, and that I can speed up my posting schedule as I continue editing. Thank you for all the encouraging comments so far! I hope you enjoy where this story goes and I'm curious to know what people are looking forward to.


	11. On a Pickle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Winter's Memory was named by my beloved lore consultant: please send her your thanks.
> 
> As we enter Act II, [blxcksqvadron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blxcksqvadron/pseuds/blxcksqvadron) made another beautiful moodboard!  
> 

Part Three: The Journey

* * *

Wedge Antilles brings a corvette so big that the Falcon can latch onto its underside. Company 77 load in with plenty of room for Poe, Finn, Rose, Lando, Chewie, Keeo, and BB-8. They hug Rey goodbye, promise D’Acy they’ll call, and leave Ajan Kloss’ rainy season behind.

Poe spends the first hour on board exploring every inch of the Winter’s Memory with Rose. She fawns over the bells and whistles, while Poe can’t wait to get a bit of carbon scoring on the hull. The ship is going to stick out like a sore thumb on worlds devastated by the First Order.

‘Hey, I should have checked,’ Finn catches his arm as they pass in the central corridor. ‘You good with sharing again?’

‘Of course,’ Poe stops. ‘You don’t wanna bunk with one of the Company?’

Finn sidesteps so they’re in an alcove. Under his breath, he says: ‘They all know each other.’

‘Well, yeah, they’re—‘

’Close,’ Finn finishes for him. ‘I’m a stranger to them.’

‘More like a hero,’ Poe gives him a friendly elbow.

‘That’s what I mean,’ Finn whispers. ‘Nobody wants to room with a _hero.’_

‘I do,’ Poe shrugs.

‘So we’re good?’

‘Buddy, we’re always good,’ Poe shakes his head, smiling.

‘Rose,’ Finn says loudly. Poe turns to see her still standing directly behind them. ‘Who are you rooming with?’

‘Got a cabin to myself,’ she boasts. ‘This place is _nice.’_

Poe looks at Finn. ‘Did you wanna see if you can—‘

‘—I’m good,’ Finn says.

The three of them jump as Jannah’s voice booms in the PA. ‘Meeting in the common room!’

Poe and Rose steer Finn in the right direction. There’s thirty members of the Company, including Jannah. They gather with Lando and Chewie around the tables.

‘Alright,’ Jannah says. ‘Lando’s mapped us a route that’s safe, rather than fast. We don’t know how many worlds will be friendly, and we don’t know if there’ll be anyone alive that remembers us. I doubt this will work out for everyone, but each of us deserves to give it our best shot.’

Jannah lays her hands on the table. ‘I don’t want this to apply to anyone. But, if you decide you want to come back with us for _any_ reason, you contact us. No matter what we’re doing, we will come back to get you. You’ll always have a place in the Resistance.’

She looks to Finn, and Finn nods.

‘For those of us later on the route,’ Jannah continues. ‘This means we need to be patient. Nobody’s a lost princess—except maybe Finn.’

He snorts, waving her off.

‘It’s not true,’ Finn says, while they’re making their beds that night. ‘The lost prince thing.’

‘You don’t think so?’ Poe hangs his jacket on a hook.

‘People in power search for their children,’ Finn points out. ‘And those children have chain codes.’

Poe sighs. ‘We’re not gonna stop looking. None of us.’

‘Yeah,’ Finn nods, but he looks unconvinced. ‘Like Jannah said. There’s always the Resistance, if it doesn’t work out.’

‘Don’t you ever doubt it,’ Poe taps a panel for the closet, and the door slides away. ‘Oh, _what?’_

Finn darts over. ‘Is that for _us?’_

It’s a private ‘fresher. Poe steps in and holds his hand under the shower. He touches the dial and whoops. Water sprays over his hand for a moment before he shuts it off.

‘This ship is _fancy!’_ Finn pauses. ‘It is fancy, right? I’m not just used to—‘

‘Buddy, this is the nicest ship I’ve ever been on,’ Poe’s getting giddy. ‘I’m getting Wedge the best bottle of liquor we can find.’

‘I’m taking first shower,’ Finn grins at him.

‘Good plan,’ Poe finds the actual closet, and tosses a towel to Finn.

It is a good plan, because once Finn emerges glistening wet and smiling ear to ear, Poe needs a moment, alone, with the sound of rushing water to cover him.

*

The first place they visit is a city. Poe gets one step off the Memory’s ramp and stops: Finn runs into his back.

‘Nope,’ Poe announces. ‘No way.’

He comes back from his cabin with a coat, a scarf, a hat, and gloves. Finn laughs, but Finn is shivering and Poe is not.

They’re here searching for Oats’ family. Oats was TZ-0202, and before that, she was stolen from this appallingly cold city. Poe cups his cheeks in his hands, and BB waves his tiny blowtorch in sympathy.

‘This place is incredible,’ Finn says, and Jannah nods. This part of the mission doesn’t strictly require everyone tagging along, but there’s no reason to deny the team a field trip. They move down the main street in loose groups, stopping to look at shops and admire the architecture.

‘You wouldn’t think the First Order came through here,’ Jayelle muses.

‘Look at the towers,’ Rose points. ‘See how all the tall ones are new? The older buildings are kind of sharper, and they’ve got ironwork on the facades. Anything glass was probably rebuilt since the war came here.’

‘You’re a nerd,’ Finn elbows her.

‘I like finding out how stuff is made,’ she retorts. ‘My sister always liked finding out how to destroy stuff.’

Jayelle cackles, and Poe has to smile.

‘We don’t even know what their sewer system is like,’ she peers at the gutters. ‘I bet they have _aqueducts.’_

Jayelle is genuinely interested in Rose’s story about how some cities’ tunnel systems were used as escape routes during occupation. Poe keeps an ear open to it and finds himself enthralled. He glances over and sees Finn nodding along, shoulders hunched up to his ears. Poe takes mercy on him, unwraps his scarf. When Finn realises what he’s doing, he starts to insist it’s not necessary. But once Poe starts winding it around Finn’s neck, he goes _‘ooh’_ at the residual warmth from Poe’s skin and lets himself be adorned.

Chewie hollers from the front of the throng, gesturing the next turn-off. Poe flashes a thumbs-up, and gets BB to pass word down the street. Lando and Oats are up front, heading for the town hall.

‘Do you think they’ll have the records?’ Finn asks.

‘If not, we canvas every building near her chain code’s coordinates,’ Jannah says. ‘There’s no love for the First Order here. Someone will want to help us.’

Haggling with the town hall clerks over records and privacy takes two hours. Poe takes Finn, Jayelle, Jannah, and Rose out for caf and cake.

‘Should’ve brought a deck of cards,’ Jayelle sighs.

‘At least we’re not out canvassing in the cold,’ Finn commiserates.

‘Do you think Lando charted us for a city first because it’s easier?’ Rose asks.

Jannah shrugs. ‘Good for morale, if he did.’

‘What does that say about your homeworld?’ Finn scowls.

‘I volunteered to be last,’ she says. ‘I want to see everyone gets home before I go.’

Poe hugs his caf, letting the mug warm his hands. BB-8 chirps, and they all sit up to see Lando approaching. Oats is practically skipping.

‘They’re alive!’ she bites her lip with excitement. Jayelle leaps to her feet, picking Oats up in a hug.

‘The address is an apartment three klicks west,’ Lando adds.

‘No privacy issues?’ Poe asks.

Lando shrugs. ‘A little money goes a long way.’

‘Lando…’ Jannah’s eyes widen.

‘You can’t take it with you,’ Lando waves her off. ‘Don’t thank me.’

‘I’m sure we can dip into mission expenses,’ Finn assures him.

Lando shakes his head. ‘My treat.’

The whole team, buzzing with success and caf, covers three klicks so fast they don’t feel the cold. They stream into the apartment complex, gathering in its central garden.

‘Alright, team,’ Jannah clambers onto a seat to see them all. ‘I know we’re all excited, but we’re not gonna have thirty of us bursting into someone’s home. Oats, you decide if you want someone to come with you. The rest of us will stay here and keep cool.’

Oats takes Jannah upstairs, and the rest of them settle into the garden. It’s warmer here, sheltered from the wind. Lanterns and laundry are strung across the railings above them. Finn sits next to Poe—or huddling might be a better word for it.

‘I’ll buy you a coat,’ Poe promises.

‘I’ll try not to lose it,’ Finn rests his head on Poe’s shoulder. ‘I have my own money, you know.’

‘I know,’ Poe’s on a General’s salary too. ‘But you haven’t spent it on coats.’

BB-8 beeps at them, and Poe looks up. Heads are starting to appear over balconies.

‘The neighbours are getting curious,’ Finn notes.

‘You wanna explain to them?’ Poe asks.

Finn whistles through his teeth. ‘Not sure how.’

Poe looks over their rag-tag group: a scruffy collection of twenty-something humans—plus he and Lando, not twenty-something—Chewie, and an astromech. He’d probably stare too. He plasters on a smile and waves at them. A few heads disappear.

Jannah comes back after half an hour. Everyone clusters around her as she delivers the news.

‘They’re alive,’ she smiles. ‘Her mother and father. They thought she was dead. It’s a shock, but a happy one. Oats is a mess.’

The team are hugging each other, bolstered by the good news. Jannah’s eyes are shining with tears.

‘She’s got all these little brothers and sisters,’ she tells them. Chewie crows in delight, and Poe is suddenly choked up.

The chatter on the balconies above increases: Poe guesses that the gossip is getting around. Sure enough, a woman comes hobbling over to them.

‘They’re saying you brought back the Charters’ little girl,’ she says.

‘That’s right,’ Finn tells her.

She looks around the group of them, studying each face anxiously. ‘Do you have any of the others?’

Poe’s insides turn cold. Jayelle covers her mouth with her hand.

Jannah takes the woman by the arm. ‘I’m so sorry. We’re only one company. All of us were taken from other worlds.’

‘Who are you looking for?’ Rose steps forward.

‘My nephew,’ the woman says quietly. ‘He’d be a bit older…’

‘Do you have his chain code?’ Rose whips out her communicator. ‘Keeo, we need information.’

Keeo’s voice is tinny through the comms. _‘I_ need an oil change.’

Rose screws her face up in frustration, then she exhales. ‘Excuse me, ma’am. We have a database of all the children taken by the First Order. We may be able to tell you where he is.’

The woman takes Rose back to her apartment, and Jannah follows.

‘What do we do if we find him?’ Jayelle asks.

‘I’ve no idea,’ Finn says. ‘Broadcast to the whole First Order? _AA-1234, your aunt is looking for you.’_

‘I mean…’ Forten shrugs. ‘It’d work on me.’

‘Me too,’ Finn admits.

Rose returns to the courtyard. Her face is drawn, and she doesn’t look at anyone. Poe and Finn follow her to a fountain, where she slumps down on the edge, head in her hands.

‘He’s dead,’ she says, voice tight. ‘He was deployed on Hosnian Prime.’

Poe doesn’t want to be relieved that the First Order fired on their own men. Sooner or later, they’re going to meet the father or the sister or the great-grandmother of a Stormtrooper who was on the Fulminatrix, or—Poe’s chest locks up—mopping the floors on Starkiller.

Finn catches Poe’s eye and shakes his head. _Don’t go down that road._

‘Can I talk to Keeo?’ he asks Rose. She hands over the communicator. Poe sits beside her and puts an arm around her.

‘Keeo, do a cross-search for all troopers taken from this planet,’ Finn speaks into the comm. Then he looks to Rose and Poe. ‘We tell them where their kids are. Even if we can’t help right now, at least they’ll know.’

‘Good plan,’ Poe says. ‘I’ll get D’Acy to make enquiries. We can see about freeing other troopers.’

‘Don’t hold your breath,’ Finn sighs. ‘Those of us here are the exceptions. Plenty will follow orders because they’re too scared.’

Poe remembers the first time he saw Finn’s face. That incredible certainty as he said: ‘ _It’s the right thing to do.’_

He looks so much older now.

‘It’s worth a shot,’ he gets up from the fountain, and Rose follows. Finn grinds his teeth, then gives a short nod.

‘Hey, Keeo?’ he frowns. ‘What batch was 3251?’

Keeo takes an inordinate amount of time to reply. ‘Six.’

‘Hey,’ Finn calls out the group. ‘We got anyone from Batch Six?’

Dash trots over. Finn asks him: ‘Do you remember 3251? Joined YP Corps.’

Dash squints. ‘Maybe? I knew a few cadets who joined YP.’

‘We can get Keeo to send us a picture,’ Rose says.

‘His aunt would want to have it, either way,’ Poe adds.

‘Do you wanna talk to her?’ Finn asks. ‘You don’t have to.’

Dash swallows, straightening his back. ‘I can.’

‘Good man,’ Finn guides him to the aunt’s apartment. By this time, Oats is back.

‘It’s Yasmin, apparently,’ she rolls her reddened eyes. ‘Do I look like a Yasmin Charter?’

‘You could,’ Finn grins at her. ‘What do you think?’

‘I’m…’ she bites down hard on her lip. ‘I’m gonna stay. At least for now.’

The team falls upon her with affection, blessing her good luck and wishing her well. Dash, Jannah, and the aunt come back, and there’s a lot of hugging.

‘Can we eat before you go?’ she asks. ‘I’m starving.’

The team, the Charter family, and about half the apartment complex flood into a restaurant on the corner. They’re given pots of soup to share, and the broth is so hot it burns Poe’s nostrils. The smaller Charter siblings hang off Chewie’s fur, and Finn laughs so hard at one of Rose’s jokes that he chokes on a pickle.

Poe realises that the better this all works out, the more goodbyes there are going to be. And one of those goodbyes is going to ruin him.


	12. The Socks at the End of the Galaxy

Mealtimes on Winter’s Memory are noisy events. Finn and the Company fall into an easy camaraderie, reminiscing and commiserating over their upbringing. Lando and Chewie are hard not to like, so it’s often Rose that ends up eating quietly with Poe.

‘You always light up when you talk to Finn,’ Poe observes.

‘There’s a difference between talking to Finn and talking to two dozen people at once,’ she pulls a face. ‘What about you, Mister Popular?’

Poe waves her off. ‘They all share something I’ll never understand. I don’t want to get in the way of that.’

‘I don’t either,’ Rose says. ‘Besides, I can never remember everyone’s names.’

The troopers have a mishmash of nicknames for each other. More than half are alphanumeric: 02 for Oats, JL for Jayelle, 4-10 for Forten, and 11 for Lev. Dash is fast and Sparrow is slight. Jannah is Jannah, and Bax is Bax.

Back in their cabin, Poe asks about it. ‘You never had a nickname?’

‘Oh, I was Eight-Seven, to my friends,’ Finn huffs in bemusement. ‘Well, friend.’

‘What was their name?’ Poe tosses a dirty shirt in the laundry pile they’re constructing in the middle of the floor.

‘Slip,’ Finn throws in some socks. ‘He was shot on Jakku.’

And there it is, slapping Poe in the face: the truth he’s been trying to avoid since meeting 3251’s aunt. Poe was a Navy-trained marksman in a village of guerrilla fighters. There’s no way of knowing if he was the one to kill Finn’s only friend, but there’s no way to know he wasn’t, either.

‘Hey,’ Finn cocks his head, until Poe can bear to meet his eye. ‘It happened. I’m not saying it’s okay, but… Phasma knew he wasn’t combat-ready when she deployed us. Everyone in that battle was fighting to survive.’

Poe squints at him. ‘Are you sure you’re not reading my mind?’

Finn shakes his head. ‘You wear your heart on your sleeve. I like that about you.’

Poe has to hide his face in a shirt for a second.

‘Can you tell me something?’ he asks, deciding the shirt can last another day. Finn looks up from the pants he’s folding.

‘Is _Finn_ any better than Eight-Seven?’ Poe asks.

Finn laughs. ‘Infinitely better.’

Poe drops to his knees; ostensibly, to gather up the laundry and shove it in a bag.

‘You want a hand?’ Finn asks.

‘Nah, I got this,’ Poe shoots a smile at him.

He hopes the gesture says _I will carry your dirty socks to the laundry and I would carry them to the end of the galaxy._ Saying it out loud would be a bit much.

*

Jayelle’s family are dead.

‘We knew,’ her voice is horribly flat when she can finally say it out loud. ‘We knew it would happen to some of us.’

But maybe they’d all caught an irresponsible sense of hope after finding the Charters within a day. The odds of it were unlikely, but odds are never certain.

The Company close ranks around Jayelle. They’re her family: she’ll never be alone, never be unloved. In the faces of some of them, Poe sees their own fear, pessimism, and resignation as they grapple with their possibilities. But they hide it well from Jayelle. They promise they’ll all stay, until at least she knows what her people were like.

‘Everyone in that town fought to the last,’ a local tells them. ‘The First Order couldn’t have taken those children if even one person was left alive.’

It happens on the next world, and the one after that. It happens to the three troopers who came from the same city. They walk through the ashes of it. They visit too many graves.

Poe tends to trail at the back of the group with Rose. It would be worse to stay on the Memory, he knows, but he can’t stop himself from feeling like an imposition. He lingers close to Finn: every disappointment is felt throughout the team, but Finn is still on the edge of the Company. There’s no promise of any closure for Finn, not even the names of the people he’s meant to grieve.

Poe’s heart is broken over it, but he hides it well. When Finn wants to talk, Poe talks, and when he doesn’t want to talk, Poe stays beside him.

Poe grew up loved and adored, in the heart of the Rebellion. On the moon of Yavin, in his parents’ garden, there was a tree. It was barely a sapling, but Poe was small enough that it felt ancient and mighty. He sat in its dappled shade. He rested against the trunk, cradled by its roots. Once, he scorched a part of the tree while messing with a speeder engine. The blackened branches crumbled at the touch, and Poe had burst into tears. His father had charged him with the tree’s recovery, and Poe spent a year of his youth tending to it, until the bark grew back into the firm, smoothed whorls he remembered, and the shoots began to grow afresh.

He wants to be the solid wood that Finn can lean on, and the shade when he needs it. Or Finn might be the tree, and Poe wants to treat every scar this journey opens, an unspoken symbiosis where the painful parts heal over but something bright and new starts to grow in that place.

He never really got the hang of metaphors.

*

Things get better, as they move from the Inner Rim to the Colonies. They leave two of the Company behind: one finds some extended relatives willing to take her in, and another trooper chooses to stay and be with her. For a blessed while, their biggest problem comes from an unforeseen side effect of attaching the Falcon to the Memory.

‘Antilles is going to kill us,’ Lando says.

The porg screeches, fluttering into a gap above the doorframe.

‘Could use ‘em for target practice,’ Poe suggests.

‘Poe!’ Rose smacks his arm.

‘With the stun setting!’ Poe insists. ‘We need the practice.’

The stun setting will probably kill them, but Poe doesn’t mention this. According to Chewie, they taste delicious.

He seriously considers blasting a few just for some peace and quiet, until Finn sticks his head out of their cabin at about hip-height. He whispers at the highest possible volume a whisper can be: _‘Poe!’_

Poe stares at him. ‘What are you doing?’

Finn purses his lips in a silent hush, and jerks his head. Poe enters the cabin to find Finn kneeling at the closet.

‘Look,’ Finn’s voice is much softer. On the closet floor, behind Finn’s boots, is a nest. There are three eggs in it.

‘You don’t have to whisper at eggs,’ Poe grins, crouching beside him.

‘There’s gonna be _babies!’_ Finn doesn’t raise his voice. ‘Chicks! Little porglings!’

Poe refrains from sighing. Finn traces a finger over the shell of one of the eggs.

‘We can name one after BB-8,’ Finn suggests.

So maybe Poe isn’t going to eat them.


	13. Salt and Honey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [stage whisper] it’s pedro pascal

Poe doesn’t end up buying Finn a coat: he only remembers that he planned to when they land Winter’s Memory and the Falcon in a monsoon. Dash’s people are out there somewhere, hopefully alive and hopefully dry.

Poe spends most of the walk to the port’s cantina with his hood pulled low. He only realises as they’re gathering under the alcove that Finn has acquired himself a poncho.

Damn it, he even looks good in a poncho. Poe looks like a drowned Jawa.

They have the routine figured out at this point. Get the lay of the land, start making enquiries. Stay a few hours in a cantina, spending money and making friends, and hope the locals are feeling helpful.

Poe gets a taste for the chilled mead they serve at the cantina. He buys a round for a table of sabacc players, and they deal him in. He’s never been much good at the game, but that’s not the point. The point is to lose money and loosen tongues.

This moon is made up of isolated settlements, and Poe learns that many of the communities have scattered since the First Order came. Dash’s coordinates won’t be of much use. Various rumours and guesses put the trader clans at the headwaters of three different rivers, hundreds of kilometres apart and constantly moving with the monsoon winds.

Poe comes away from the game with the taste of sharp-noted honey on the roof of his mouth. He shakes his head a little, doing a slow scan of the room. There are the broad shoulders and distinctive locs of Fin’s silhouette, for once staying out of the thick of it. He’s in a booth between Chewie and Rose, telling them a story that involves almost spilling his drink.

Poe leans on a rail, letting the mead take its meandering time with his senses. If he goes to Finn now, he’ll be too slippery-slow to keep himself from doing something foolish. He clenches his jaw, fighting the way his feet want to saunter over, how his face wants to slacken into a liquid smile. Only Chewie would be a mountain to climb past, and Rose is the one making Finn’s face scrunch up with laughter. And Poe has a mission: he has Finn’s mission.

He drifts back to the bar, ordering a water this time.

‘New in town?’ a voice asks beside him.

Poe remembers this game. His hips tilt instinctively, showing off a little. He glances over his shoulder, loose and easy. The man is human—or at least he looks it—and tall, thick around the middle with long limbs. He’s older than Poe, a little salt in the pepper moustache. Enough mischief in his beetle-black eyes that Poe’s interested.

‘Sure am,’ Poe tries, and probably doesn’t succeed, to sip water look intriguing.

‘Heard you were looking for the nomads,’ the man’s voice is as smooth as the mead Poe’s drunk on. Husky, like the rest of him.

‘Tomorrow,’ Poe confirms.

‘You should know,’ the man moves closer, taking Poe’s empty cup and handing it back to the bartender. Their fingers brush when it happens. ‘They don’t take kindly to off-worlders coming upriver unannounced.’

‘Can’t be surprised,’ Poe shrugs. ‘Are you from around here?’

The guy shakes his head like he’s amused. ‘I come in for the fens market. Rent a place, do business while the clans gather in the lowlands, move on until next year.’

The invitation is obvious: he has a place, and there’s no strings attached.

Poe wouldn’t be the first one on the team to take up such an offer. Lando’s probably already disappeared for the night. It’s not a bad idea: either he gets useful information, or he further ingratiates himself with the people on the ground.

It takes every ounce of his willpower not to glance back at the booth. He turns toward the stranger, angling himself close enough that he can smell the leather of his jacket. Poe looks him up and down, and the man’s eyes crinkle. Poe weaves through the crowd and out of the cantina, trusting the heat of the stranger’s stare to know he’ll be followed. They step out into an alley and the stranger’s hand finds his, brushing over Poe’s knuckles.

The music is muted by the rain. The man stands close without crowding: he must know his size, and how to use it.

‘You do this often?’ he asks.

Poe nods, then pauses. ‘Not lately.’

A wry smile. ‘Hm.’

‘Can you tell?’

The man nods.

Poe touches his chest, and tries not to think about what he’s missing. ‘There’s someone.’

‘Yeah,’ the guy laughs quietly. ‘You looked like you could use a distraction.’

Poe considers it. He really, really considers it.

‘I should get back to my ship,’ he admits.

‘Walk you there?’

Poe bites his lip. If he says yes, he’s not going to say no when they get to the Memory. And then he’s going to have this man in his cabin, where Finn—

‘No,’ Poe thumps his back of his head against the wall. ‘Have a good night.’

‘You too,’ the stranger tells him, and disappears back into the cantina.

Poe groans into his hands. He walks back to the Memory without his coat, but the rain does nothing to cool him off.

*

Poe wakes early, with the taste of honey turning sour in his mouth. He stumbles to the cockpit, the safe haven of all sleepless pilots, and fiddles with the nav. Their charts for this moon are basic, but Lando’s marked out a few guesses at the headwater locations. This is one of two spaceports on the whole moon, so they’re not landing the Memory anywhere. The Falcon might manage, but Poe doesn’t like their chances in the rain. He leaves a note for when Lando wakes up.

It’s only when he returns to the cabin that he sees Finn brought his coat back from the cantina. Finn’s fast asleep, tangled up in his blanket. Poe gently tugs it until it’s untwisted, and he watches Finn settle.

When the team are up and ready—a little late, since Poe wasn’t the only one enjoying the local mead—they shuffle down from the spaceport to the harbour. Lando approaches a ferrywoman about traveling upriver, and she laughs in their faces.

‘In this weather?’ she asks in a heavy accent. ‘No boat goes upriver. I take you to the fens.’

‘I got a tip about the fens,’ Poe tells Lando. To the ferrywoman, he asks: ‘Is there a market?’

She nods. ‘You’re going to the market.’

It’s unclear whether she’s trying to advise them, or informing them the matter is decided. Poe shrugs, and ushers the team onto her boat.

Before Poe boards with BB-8, she blocks him with her staff across his chest.

‘This droid,’ she points. Poe’s hackles get up, but she continues: ‘He translates?’

‘Uh, he’s an astromech,’ Poe explains.

She shakes her head. ‘Protocol.’

‘We don’t have…’

She points the staff at a shop on the dock. ‘All traders use different language. You need to hire protocol.’

‘Right,’ Poe nods, and BB-8 bounces onto the deck of her ferry. ‘Thank you.’

She shrugs amicably. ‘You fill the boat.’

Lando and Rose volunteer to get a droid, and come back with a copper-and-green model that totters onto the ferry with them. BB-8 rolls over to make friends with her, and Poe heads to the bow of the ferry.

Finn and Jannah are up there. Dash is sheltering under an awning. Poe almost slips on the deck when the ferry launches. Finn grabs his arm and rights him. They brace on the railing as the river buffets them from side to side. Jannah whoops at the ride.

‘How d’you think they’re going to hold a market?’ Finn shouts over the rushing water. ‘Everything’s flooded.’

‘Guess they’re used to it,’ Poe calls.

‘They are,’ Jannah points to the river’s edge. ’The embankments aren’t breaking. The water gets this high every year.’

‘How’d you know that?’ Finn asks.

‘There were king tides on Kef Bir,’ she explains. ‘A woman called Jannah taught me.’

A lot of things make sense. Another wave rolls under them, and Finn collides into Poe’s side.

‘Sorry,’ he waves a hand and almost falls again.

‘I gotcha,’ Poe laughs. ‘Eyes on the river, yeah?’

The fens are an hour downstream. Poe aches just from the ride. The ferrywoman guides them toward a massive glowing dome in the middle of the swamp.

‘Is that a building?’ Jannah asks.

‘Bubble,’ the ferrywoman says. She steers the boat right up to, and suddenly through, the shimmering wall. The pressure makes Poe’s ears pop.

The bubble is a giant umbrella holding back the rain. Beneath it, hundreds of riverboats are strung together like islands.

‘Wow,’ Poe breathes. ‘Welcome to the fens market.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Some bonus content: Finn's POV during this scene.](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/post/617097170397593600/for-the-no-excuses-writing-meme-pleeeease-do-pov)


	14. Adventure Stories

The market is full of music, and smoke, and bright colours. Poe shrugs out of his coat, suddenly much warmer.

‘Look at all this,’ Finn is wonderstruck. Every boat is a market stall, with plank bridges between them.

‘Do you think the flags are for the different river clans?’ Rose asks.

‘Makes sense,’ Jannah says. ‘We’ll have to find Dash’s.’

‘Best thing to do is ask around,’ Lando suggests. ‘Why don’t we split up? Do a little exploring.’

Jannah and Dash take the protocol droid, so all the others are left to fend for themselves in Basic. Finn doesn’t actually ask if Poe wants to go with him, but nor does Poe ask Finn: they just gravitate to the stall selling fried meat on a stick. Poe manages to purchase two without any confusion or overcharging, so they stand together and gnaw on them while the heat from the grill dries their clothes.

Finn is peering at a row of stalls with scarves.

‘What’re you thinking?’ Poe grins.

‘I’m thinking we have an expenses fund to cover the important stuff,’ Finn says. ‘And it doesn’t overlap with our own money.’

‘Are you thinking the people here will be more helpful if we spend that money?’ Poe smirks.

Finn gives him a sidelong look. ‘A little bit of it.’

They elbow each other, and head into the market. Poe buys a scarf, to replace his favourite after he bled all over it on Kef Bir. Finn chooses one for himself, in a shade of blue so bright it’s almost difficult to look at. The shopkeeper only speaks enough Basic that she can confirm her people haven’t lost any children. The other clans, she doesn’t know.

They stop again for cups of caf, served cold to counter the heat of the bubble. They run into Rose at stall full of Jawas selling droid parts, so Poe gets a better blowtorch for BB. Finn buys a bag of sweets and yelps when he finds out they fizz. Poe tries one, and it helps settle the uneasy feeling of the boats rocking underfoot.

A convoy of boats sells only jewellery. Poe picks up a bangle embossed with circular patterns, following the grooves with his fingertips. It’s exactly Leia’s taste, and he almost buys it before he remembers.

Finn takes it gently from his hands and pays for it.

‘It’s a souvenir,’ he suggests.

Poe nods, because he’s not sure he can talk. Finn gets a beaded necklace for Rey, like the one she lost on Pasaana. This place isn’t as raucous as the festival, but they get to enjoy it properly this time.

Finn finds a winter coat, and Poe fulfils his promise of buying it. Next Finn consults Poe in choosing a belt, since his old one’s wearing out. This involves a lot of guessing Finn’s developing taste, and looking at Finn’s hips as objectively as possible. The seller throws in a leather cuff, which Finn hands to Poe as a thank-you gift. Poe puts it on immediately.

They're on a barge of leather vendors, all from different clans by Poe’s guess. Some are off-worlders: Poe startles when he recognises the salt-and-pepper moustache of one. The stranger nods at him, and Poe gives a brief wave back.

‘Who’s that?’ Finn asks.

‘Just a guy I talked to last night,’ Poe says. ‘He gave us the tip about coming to the market.’

Poe steers them to a different barge, and hopes the reason isn’t too obvious. They run into Rose and Jayelle, who are poring over a table full of books.

Finn elbows Poe and jerks his head toward the stall.

’Yeah, why don’t you get one?’ Poe asks. He sees a familiar cover of an adventure series he liked as a kid, translated into another language.

Finn elbows him again, and nods more purposefully. Poe follows his line of sight and looks at the vendor.

The vendor is the spitting image of Dash.

A short and confusing search takes place, which involves Chewie yelling for Dash and Forten almost falling off a plank. They manage to summon Dash, and when he’s face to face with the vendor, it’s uncanny. The vendor’s face is haggard from a life on the water, while Dash’s is green from a day on the water. That aside, they’re identical.

The man asks a question, and the protocol droid translates.

‘Who are you?’

‘I’m…’ Dash swallows. ‘Um.’

Jannah takes over. ‘Twenty years ago, the First Order children from this moon. One has escaped, and he has returned.’

The man is nodding before the protocol droid finishes translating. He steps around the table of books, taking Dash’s face in his hands. He asks Dash a question.

Dash opens his mouth to reply, then glances at the protocol droid.

‘He never thought you would return,’ she says, in an uncomfortably cheerful tone. ‘They believed the children were killed.’

Lev shakes his head. The man speaks again.

‘He asks where you have been.’

Lev swallows. In a small voice, he says: ’They made us Stormtroopers.’

The man doesn’t need _Stormtroopers_ translated. He steps back, his expression shuttering. He starts to speak, pauses, and asks: ‘Only Basic?’

‘Yeah,’ Dash’s voice is unsteady. ‘I’m sorry.’

The man sounds equally fraught when he continues.

‘His mother joined a different clan,’ the droid tells them. ‘After they lost their son.’

The man snorts in frustration, knocking on a door at the back of the stall. A girl appears from below deck. He puts her in charge of the stall, and beckons to Dash and the protocol droid.

‘Can one of you—‘ Dash speaks quickly. Jannah, Finn, and Jayelle step up.

Poe exhales as they disappear below decks.

‘This one’s not gonna be easy,’ Lando predicts. Chewie agrees.

With nothing else to do, they keep browsing the books. Poe finds some battered copies of the adventure series in Basic, and buys them. They’re always good to re-read, and he thinks Finn might enjoy them.

Dash returns, looking no happier than he did when he went in.

‘It’s… a bad season for taking on new crew,’ he explains. ‘Especially when I’ve never—well, they say I _have_ been on a boat before. Doesn’t feel like it.’

‘They’re not letting you stay?’ Forten asks.

‘It’s not…’ Dash sighs. ‘I can’t even understand them.’

‘You could learn,’ Jayelle says. ‘You will.’

‘This isn’t my life, or…’ Dash bites his lip. ‘I don’t think I’m ready for it to be. I’d miss you all.’

‘You can always come back,’ Jannah reminds him. Dash nods miserably.

They drift away from the bookseller’s boat, back into the crowds. When evening comes, a strange glow falls over the market. Finn points up, and Poe gasps. Bright glowing bugs are swarming overhead, sheltered by the bubble.

While Poe’s still looking up, Finn’s hand slips into his. He keeps holding it until they have to break apart to pay for dinner, but Poe thinks about it the whole ride back on the ferry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some beautiful fanart by [Delphineera!](https://delphineera.tumblr.com/post/615599447786881024/when-evening-comes-a-strange-glow-falls-over-the)  
> 


	15. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone commented on The Hour Before Dawn requesting a shower sex scene, so here it is.

The showers on the Memory never run cold. Poe turns his face up to the pounding water, until the tension trickles from him and pools around his feet. He gets a handful of soap, more than he really needs, and slides the lather over his arms and chest. He lets a plume of suds slither down his back, angling himself towards the water to rinse it away.

He widens his stance for balance before soaping each leg. His hands are still slick as he works his way up, fingers curling loosely around his cock. It stirs as he tries to recall: did Finn have first shower, or should Poe hurry this up? A few strokes won’t go astray. He gets into a nice rhythm, free hand braced on the wall, water hammering against his shoulders. A groan almost slips out and he bites his lip to catch it.

He doesn’t hear the door open. He just feels the water change as Finn steps in behind him. Poe opens his mouth to speak, and it turns into a moan. Finn’s so close, lips trailing over Poe’s throat until they reach his earlobe.

‘You want to?’ Finn whispers, and Poe nods. He lets his head fall back on Finn’s shoulder, reaching back to pull Finn closer. Finn presses along the length of his back, and Poe can’t hold back a gasp when he feels Finn hardening. One of Finn’s hands follows the line of Poe’s hips, tickling through the hair at his navel. Then he’s sliding down Poe’s abdomen to take his cock in hand. Poe feels Finn’s mouth curling into a smile. Finn pumps, firm and confident, and Poe’s gasp echoes off the walls. Finn’s other arm spreads across Poe’s chest, keeping them snug together. Finn’s strokes slow down until Poe is grinding back against him, and then Finn’s hand is gone.

Poe whines, until Finn’s hand slithers between them, tracing down his spine to his tailbone. Poe almost gets on tip-toes trying to encourage him to slide lower.

Finn starts to ask: ‘Should I—?’

‘— _need_ you to,’ Poe begs, before he can finish.

Finn huffs a laugh. He strokes slowly down, slick finger circling curiously around Poe’s rim. A few teases, a few moments of _almost,_ and then he nudges inside. All the air leaves Poe’s body at once.

Finn withdraws after a moment, then he thrusts in deep and Poe tries to keep his knees from buckling. He slaps both palms against the wall to hold himself upright.

‘Yeah, that’s good,’ Finn tells him, and Poe knows it’s true because Finn’s cock is pressing insistently at the meat of his ass.

‘Please,’ Poe shoves back. He doesn’t care if he’s loud, if he’s hoarse, if he’s needy. He _is_ needy.

Finn’s tongue drags up Poe’s neck. Poe tries to turn, to catch Finn’s mouth and finally, _finally_ kiss him. But Finn scrapes his fingers along Poe’s scalp. He gets a fistful of curls at the back of Poe’s head and pulls, and Poe is begging, he’s not going to last if this—

—if—

—he doesn’t have curls at the back of his head.

He startles awake in the cabin, painfully hard. The first thing he touches is his hair: longer than when they started this journey, but not how it used to be. Not how it was in the dream.

He slumps in the sheets, but the hard-on isn’t going away on its own. As awkward as it is, he rolls to face Finn: less chance of getting caught if he can see Finn stirring. He bites down on his hand to keep himself silent.

It only takes a few strokes before he’s finished, a rush of pleasure that dissolves much quicker than the details of the dream. He takes off his shirt and cleans up. Maybe he’s been pent-up since squandering his chance with the leather merchant. Or he’s got off in the shower too many times thinking about Finn, and now it’s stuck in his mind. He buries his face in the pillow and hopes he won’t dream before morning.

*

Poe awakens to screeching, which he probably deserves.

Then Finn is rapidly apologising. Poe squints. Finn is crouching in front of the closet.

‘Sorry, I’m sorry mama bird, just need my shoes,’ Finn promises the closet. ‘Not gonna hurt your babies, I promise I just gotta— _ow!’_

He pulls his hand away, shaking it.

‘You good there?’ Poe mumbles. He sits up, forgetting his shirt is gone.

Finn frowns at him for a second. He shakes his head, turning back to the closet with a ‘hm.’

‘What?’ Poe asks. He looks down at his chest, in case _I had a sex dream about you_ is written on it.

‘Had a dream your hair was longer,’ Finn says. He snatches his boots free and slams the closet door.

‘Huh,’ Poe scratches the back of his head, just to be sure. Tufty, but not enough to grab a fistful. ‘That’s funny.’

He won’t be able to say why it’s funny if Finn asks, but Finn doesn’t ask why.

*

After three desert planets, Poe really misses the fens. Of course, the moment he wishes for a rainy moon, the galaxy sees fit to bless him. This place might actually be hell.

They have to take the Falcon down, because the upper atmosphere is a roiling mass of opaque black clouds. They dive in blind, the darkness only interrupted by flashes of lightning, and when they finally break through the shield warnings start flashing.

‘Finn, cannon!’ Poe shouts over his shoulder, while Lando steers them around a rock spur that would have ripped the Falcon’s belly open.

Poe hears Finn running, then Finn’s voice is in his headset. ‘What’re we looking at?’

‘No idea,’ Poe grinds his teeth. ‘Whatever it is, it’s hitting us everywhere.’

‘I can’t see anything through the rain,’ Finn says.

The mountains look like teeth. Lightning strikes two summits at once, and Lando swoops lower. A rock the size of a Star Destroyer has fallen across two peaks, and Lando’s heading for the gap beneath it.

‘Think you got this, kid?’ he asks, leaning forward in his seat.

‘I think I got this!’ Poe tries to sound confident. They slide the Falcon under the gap, and the shield alert stops.

‘Can you see them, Finn?’ Poe asks.

‘Still nothing!’

‘Wait a minute…’ Lando takes them out the other side of the tunnel, and the alert pings again. ‘It’s the rain!’

‘It’s the _what?!’_ Finn asks over the comms.

‘The rain! It’s damaging the ship!’

‘Remind me who the _hell_ comes from this place?!’ Poe snarls.

‘Bax!’ Finn answers.

‘Home sweet home!’ Bax adds from the main hold.

‘There’s a ledge,’ Poe points to a cliff. ‘If we can land under it, we can at least figure out what to do about the shields.’

They spin the Falcon around to get into the lee of the cliff, and ease it down. The ledge is almost too steep, and the ship makes a horrible screeching sound as it lists to one side. Lando murmurs as he eases the landing struts into place, soothing the ship. It seems to work, because they come to a standstill.

 _‘YOU IN THE CORELLIAN,’_ the comms blast, and Poe almost strangles himself with his headset. _’WE HAVE A PLASMA CANNON.’_

‘This place just keeps getting better,’ Finn mutters.

_‘STATE YOUR PURPOSE WITHIN THE NEXT TEN SECONDS OR WE BLAST YOU INTO THE ACID.’_

Bax asks: _‘Acid?!’_

‘Hi, yeah, hello!’ Poe mashes the PA button. ‘We come in peace!’

_‘NOBODY COMES HERE IN PEACE.’_

‘I wonder why,’ Finn drawls.

_‘STATE YOUR PURPOSE. FIVE SECONDS, NOW.’_

‘We’re looking for a family!’ Poe yells as fast as he can. ‘A child was stolen twenty years ago and we’ve brought him back!’

A pause.

_‘HOW MANY ARE YOU?’_

Poe counts quickly on his fingers. ‘Five and an astromech.’

_‘HUMAN?’_

‘Yes.’

_‘DO NOT OPEN YOUR SHIP. WE WILL BRING THE GAS MASKS.’_

‘You know, guys,’ Bax says. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’


	16. One of the Orthodox Ones

The scouts lead them to a structure that looks a lot like an upside-down starfighter wedged in the face of the cliff. Its doors slam behind them with a hiss. The scouts remove their masks, and the team takes their cue to do the same.

‘Which one’s the kid?’ asks the tallest scout. Poe guesses she was the woman on the comms.

Bax raises his hand. ‘I’m Bax.’

‘Who’re your family?’

‘I don’t know their names,’ he says. ‘Just these coordinates, and a date of birth.’

‘Who took you?’

Bax frowns in surprise.

‘The First Order,’ Jannah says slowly.

‘The First Order have never come here,’ a scout says. ‘This place is safe.’

Finn angles an inch toward Poe. It’s all he needs to do to telegraph: _is it really?_

‘But how…?’ Bax looks between them all. ‘It says I was born here.’

The tall scout raises an eyebrow. ‘Were you _taken_ from here?’

Jannah cocks her head curiously. ‘We don’t know for sure. Is it likely he was taken off-world as an infant?’

‘People pass through this place,’ the scout gives as an answer.

Poe shoots a glance at Finn. It says: _If we came to this hell-moon for nothing…_

‘We don’t wish to intrude,’ Lando steps forward. ‘This is our best start in finding Bax’s people. Anything you know could help us.’

The tall scout peers at them all, and takes a breath.

‘Weapons on the table,’ she says. ‘The astromech stays.’

‘Then I stay,’ Poe snaps.

 _‘You_ come,’ the scout insists. ‘Send your droid back to the ship.’

BB-8 trills an agreement. Poe gets on one knee, petting BB’s side. ‘We’ll be back as soon as we can, buddy.’

BB wriggles, beeping a suggestion about fixing the shields.

‘You’re the best, okay?’ Poe gives him a kiss on the head. ‘Signal the others when the storm clears. If the Falcon moves an _inch,_ you get in that escape pod.’

BB promises.

They begin shedding their weapons. Jannah produces a knife from her boot that Poe hadn’t known about. Two scouts pat them down, and a third drags open a trapdoor. A spiral staircase is carved into the stone below. The scouts lead them down, Bax after the leaders and Poe last. He nearly stumbles on the stairs, too busy getting one more glimpse of BB-8 before they disappear into the darkness.

*

The staircase is so long that Poe gets dizzy. There’s no way of keeping track how far down they’ve traveled: the only interruptions are lights on the walls, spaced a bit too far apart for an easy walk.

They reach the landing when Poe collides with Finn’s back. Ahead, Bax and the party have come to a standstill. Poe pats Finn in apology, sidestepping to see what the problem is. He reaches for his blaster before remembering it’s upstairs. As he hurries to the ledge, a gust of cool air hits him.

It takes a second for him to understand what he’s seeing. They’re in a ravine, with a drop below too far to see. The opposite rock face has been carved into, riddled with squares and slits in different sizes.

‘They’re _windows,’_ Finn mutters.

He’s right: people are moving by the hollows. Plants grow from the edges of some of them, catching the meagre shafts of light that make it through the mountains and the gas layer. Below, almost out of sight, water rushes out of a long grate. Life will grow wherever there’s water, Poe’s father always says.

A scout speaks into his communicator. The lights of a speeder appear in one of the bigger hollows. The speeder takes Jannah and Bax over with two scouts, then Lando, Poe, and Finn with the tall scout on the next trip.

A clerk approaches them with the air of clerks all over the galaxy.

‘Four newcomers, and this one says he was born here,’ the scout tells her. ‘They left an astromech on the Corellian. Ordona’s watching it.’

‘Do we need the mairan?’ the clerk asks her.

Poe shudders at the ease with which it’s suggested.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Lando assures them. ‘We’re from the Resistance. We won’t be more than a day here.’

‘You’ll be at least a week,’ the scout informs him. ‘That rain won’t clear up any sooner.’

‘I see,’ Lando stays remarkably amicable. ’Should I speak with you to arrange payment for our accommodation?’

The clerk perks up a bit at _payment._

‘And securing the ship,’ Poe adds.

‘Your ship will be stabilised,’ the clerk says.

‘My droid—‘

‘—will be scanned,’ the scout informs him. ‘We will decide whether it may be permitted to cross.’

Lando sidles off to flirt with the clerk.

‘What are your names?’ the tall scout asks.

‘This is Bax,’ Poe points. ‘Jannah, Finn, and I’m Poe.’

He leaves off his last name, since the others don’t yet have any.

‘Niobe Sundown,’ she introduces herself.

‘What do you call this place?’ Jannah asks.

‘This is the Hive,’ Niobe tells them. She leads them out of the arrival bay and into the city.

The main street is lit by the long windows on the ravine side, with buildings carved into the back wall of the thoroughfare. Ramps and walkways zig-zag everywhere. All openings to the ravine has heavy-duty shutters installed, suggesting the city may need serious protection from the elements. But the people bustle around as people do in every city. Poe might have doubted anyone could be born here, but Niobe leads them past a playground built of salvaged ship parts. Folk of all ages pass them by. Less than half are human, by Poe’s guess.

‘How long has this settlement been here?’ he asks.

‘It’s not a settlement,’ Niobe tells them. ‘People have lived in the Hive for a thousand generations.’

‘How do you survive?’ Jannah asks.

‘By surviving.’

Niobe drops them off at an inn. The innkeeper tells them how lucky they are that five rooms are free, and they make a good show of looking surprised. The keys are handed over, and they promise Lando will arrive with payment. Poe enquires about getting BB-8 and their gear from the Falcon, and Niobe agrees to take him back up once they’ve eaten.

Poe is next door to Finn. It’s oddly distant. He turns his key at the same time Finn does, and both of them pause.

‘This is…’ Finn whistles. ‘Not bad, actually.’

The room is sparse, but it’s clean. The bed looks more comfortable than some barracks Poe’s stayed in.

‘Smugglers,’ Poe guesses. ‘They must have people bringing goods to keep the city running.’

‘Putting them up in style?’ Finn asks.

’Gotta make it worth their while somehow,’ Poe shrugs.

Lando shows up and takes them out to lunch. There’s a diner next door that looks busy enough to suggest it’s good food. Poe hopes so, as they file up to the counter to order mushroom rolls and fried crabs. There’s a Mandalorian in line ahead of them: Poe wonders if he’ll take his helmet off to eat, but he takes his plate to a booth behind a curtain. Must be one of the orthodox ones.

One of the other scouts, Saani, escorts Poe overground to collect their gear from the Falcon. BB-8 jiggles in excitement at Poe’s return. Saani and Ordona scan him meticulously, declares him clean, and offer to help Poe carry some packs downstairs.

BB-8 clunks down every step, and bloops in surprise when he sees the Hive.

‘Yeah, buddy,’ Poe takes it in properly this time. ‘Pretty amazing, right?’

Saani laughs. ‘It grows on you.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes it's him, yes he's got a baby behind the curtain


	17. Beef?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Poe doesn't know the technicalities of chain codes, because neither do I, because nobody has explained them in canon yet, please bear with me...)

The Hive doesn’t _grow on_ Poe quite as Saani predicted, at least not overnight. Breakfast is mynock sausage, which has enough herbs in it that it’s not nearly as unpleasant as it sounds, and eggs. Lando asks what kind of eggs, but the cook only shrugs and says ‘eggs.’

Niobe and Bax spent last night asking around, checking if anyone remembered a child born and taken from the Hive twenty years ago. The city doesn’t keep records, so they’re back to canvassing elders. Most concede it’s possible that a parent twenty years ago took their child off-world, but the strongest direction they have is that it ‘rings a bell.’

‘You wanna know what’s weird?’ Finn asks, while they walking up the creek that runs through the back of the city.

‘Literally everything?’ Poe guesses.

‘Nah,’ Finn rolls his eyes. ‘Well, yeah.’

‘What’s weird?’

‘Bax still has a chain code,’ Finn points out. ‘Even here, where they don’t keep records.’

‘Huh,’ Poe frowns. ‘I don’t actually know how they’re generated.’

‘You think I’m from somewhere better hidden than this?’

Poe grimaces. ‘I doubt they found you on Exegol.’

Finn snorts. ‘You said it, not me.’

They pass a group of Rodians tending an algae farm.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ Finn says. ‘Maybe they never recorded it for a reason.’

‘They recorded everyone else’s,’ Poe clicks his tongue. ‘Why would yours be a bigger secret?’

‘I don’t know,’ Finn sighs heavily. ‘Guess that’s why it’s a secret.’

The path they’ve been following ends in rows and rows of crab pots. BB-8 leans over one, and is almost nipped on the photoreceptor.

‘Come on, buddy,’ Poe calls him away. ‘It’s another dead end.’

*

A retired creche teacher finally comes through with their first solid lead in five days. She’s digging in her window boxes as she talks to them, laying out a row of seeds.

‘How do they grow in this light?’ Lando asks.

‘They can’t take much brighter than this,’ she answers. ‘Or the pods explode. Early storm season is the best time to plant.’

Bax nods, like he’s trying to wrap his head around living here. ‘How long is storm season?’

‘Most of the year,’ she answers cheerfully. ‘The clouds lift in the winter.’

‘Well, that’s something,’ Bax smiles.

‘Nah,’ the woman pats the soil down. ‘That’s when the eels come.’

 _‘Are you kidding me?’_ Finn mutters under his breath to Poe.

She looks Bax up and down again. ‘Have you tried medical?’

‘They don’t list patients that far back,’ Jannah says.

The old woman shrugs. ‘Not the doctors. But the droids might.’

Medical is on the upper levels: like a few other buildings, it’s a repurposed ship. There are a couple of speeders parked outside, and a bored-looking Togruta at the desk.

‘Hi,’ Jannah greets him. ‘We’re hoping to speak to one of your droids.’

‘You’re the ones with the kid?’ he stares at the group.

‘Not actually a kid anymore,’ Bax says. ‘But yeah, I’m the kid.’

‘Huh,’ the Togruta says. ‘Droids are in surgery, end of the hall. You probably want Beef.’

 _‘Beef?’_ Poe frowns at Finn. Finn shrugs.

BB zooms ahead of them, and has launched into introductions before they get to the room. He chitters in binary, and the droids greet him. A battered one trundles forward.

‘I am 21-B5,’ she says. She looks to be cobbled together from components of at least three different units.

 _‘Beef,’_ Finn understands.

Lando peers at her. ‘Are you the midwife droid?’

‘My original designation is general surgery,’ she says. ‘However, I have been equipped with functions from a retired E-45 midwife unit.’

‘How long have you been delivering babies here?’ Finn asks.

‘Thirty years,’ she says. ‘I have performed surgeries in this institution for fifty.’

Poe raises his eyebrows: she doesn’t look bad for her age.

‘Do you have a history of deliveries in your memory banks?’ Jannah asks.

’That data is confidential,’ Beef says.

‘What if we’re one of your patients?’ Bax approaches her.

‘Please confirm.’

Bax gives his date of birth. Her eyes flicker for a moment.

‘Confirmed, one child delivered on this date,’ she says. ‘Human female.’

‘That’s a clerical error,’ Bax waves his hand. ‘Do you have any data on the parents?’

‘Mother: human female, 35 years old, born Coruscant,’ Beef reports. ‘Father: unknown.’

‘Okay,’ Bax nods encouragingly. ‘That’s good. That’s useful, thank you. Do you know anything more about the mother?’

Beef blinks again. ‘Treated for injuries on arrival. Diagnosed as four months pregnant.’

’She wasn’t here long,’ Jannah notes. ’Two years, at most.’

‘Did you record a name?’ Bax asks.

‘Name not disclosed,’ Beef says. ‘Human female, 34 years old, born Coruscant.’

‘Okay,’ Bax sighs. ‘Thank you.’

‘Guess we hit the street again,’ Lando says. ‘Find out if anyone remembers her.’

Niobe meets them at the inn, with news that the storm should clear in a day. They ask her about a pregnant woman who came from Coruscant.

‘Probably a bounty hunter,’ she guesses. ‘They come here to lay low.’

This is all she knows: it’s all anyone in the Hive seems to know. Before dinner, Bax gathers the team together.

‘Guys, half the galaxy could fit a description of _fifty-something woman from Coruscant_ ,’ Bax says. ‘We’re not gonna find anything here.’

Jannah starts: ‘Bax, don’t feel like you have to—‘

‘We agreed it was my call,’ Bax insists. ‘Let’s go home.’

They eat dinner in silence. Afterwards, Poe’s not quite ready to go back to the inn. Neither is Finn, so they take another walk. At the corner of the city they find a ledge wide enough to sit on. The two perch side by side, feet dangling over the abyss.

‘You ever been anywhere like this?’ Finn asks.

‘Nope,’ Poe says. ‘Kinda hoping I don’t ever again.’

Finn laughs. The wind whistles along the ravine, stirring the vines that trail down from the windows. Poe looks up to where he hopes the Falcon is still waiting, over the lip of the opposite cliff.

‘People grow up here,’ Finn muses. ‘Whole families.’

‘Yeah,’ Poe says. ‘There’s peace.’

‘Except when there’s eels.’

Poe snorts: Finn elbows him.

‘People build whole lives on the edge of death,’ Poe muses.

‘You sound like Leia.’

Poe opens his mouth: the wind snatches his breath away. He shakes his head.

‘You do,’ Finn says quietly. ‘Sometimes.’

‘Okay,’ Poe’s voice quavers. He stares into the ravine.

‘I guess if you find the right person,’ Finn reaches out, untangling a vine that’s caught in the breeze. ‘Wherever they are, you make that place home.’

They take the long way back to the inn, and Poe packs his bags before getting into bed. He’s going to miss the privacy, he thinks as he gets himself off one last time. Finn’s name slips from his tongue when he comes, and he sprawls boneless on the soft mattress.

Maybe the place does grow on you, with the right person.

*

When they break through the clouds again, Lando hails Winter’s Memory. Chewie shouts in joy, almost bursting Poe’s eardrum through the headset.

Bax is welcomed among those of the Company who’ve chosen the Resistance. The rest of them bring their gear from the Falcon to the Memory.

‘We thought you’d died,’ Keeo reports.

‘Disappointed?’ Poe asks.

‘Profoundly,’ Keeo confirms, returning to the Falcon the moment it’s empty.

‘Hey, uh, Finn?’ Rose is waiting outside their cabin. ‘Something happened while you were away.’

Finn’s smile vanishes. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘You… uh, you might not be able to use your closet anymore,’ Rose winces.

Finn goes bursting into the cabin, Poe quick on his heels. There, in the closet, are three little porglings. Finn lets out a stream of babble two octaves higher than his natural range.

‘Poe!’ he calls. ‘We’re dads!’

‘Right behind you, buddy,’ Poe laughs.

Finn names them BB, Little Rose, and Chubby. Poe can’t tell them apart, but Finn feeds them so many crumbs they might as well call all of them Chubby.


	18. Too Stupid to Read

Poe stays on the Memory for the next trip. Finn teases him for being scarred by the Hive, and Poe claims he has to take care of the porglings. Both of these things are somewhat true: really, though, he can’t stand feeling like an intruder on the others’ grief. They’re nearing the end of their journey, and only a handful of the Company have found homes worth coming back to. Poe has seen every version of goodbye, and they don’t get any easier.

He skulks around the empty ship, getting in arguments with Keeo. He takes the first adventure book back from Finn’s bedside and reads it cover to cover. He carefully extricates the remaining clothes from the closet while mama porg is absent.

He’s lying on the common room table, book on his chest, when a face appears in the ceiling. He screams, but he doesn’t fall off the table.

‘You finish reading that?’ Rose asks, wriggling out of the vent. She lands soundlessly on the floor.

‘Rose!’ Poe thumps his fist on his heart to calm it down. ‘How long have you been inside the walls?’

‘All morning,’ she shrugs. ‘The deflectors were chewing up power on idle.’

‘Okay,’ Poe sits up on the table, and Rose perches next to him. ‘Thought I was alone.’

‘I thought you went with the landing party,’ she picks up the book, flicking through the frontmatter.

‘Not this time,’ Poe says. ‘They don’t need me.’

‘Finn does,’ Rose points out.

‘He needs the others,’ Poe argues. ‘People who understand what he’s going through.’

‘You can care without understanding,’ Rose says.

‘Yeah,’ Poe sighs. ‘I just… don’t you ever feel like a tourist?’

‘Why do you think I spent all morning fixing the deflectors?’

Poe whistles through his teeth. Rose runs her finger along the cracks in the book’s spine.

‘Have you read them before?’ Poe asks.

‘Been meaning to,’ she replies. ‘Paige liked them.’

Poe nods, sitting in silence while she reads the blurb.

‘I know we lost them, but we _had_ them first,’ Rose says.

‘Mm-hmm,’ Poe puts an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder. She gently bumps her head against his.

‘Finn needs you too, you know,’ he tells her, after a while.

‘Thanks,’ she says.

‘I mean it,’ Poe tries to be brave. ‘You’d be good for him. Great.’

Rose shifts under his arm.

‘Dameron,’ she says flatly. ‘Say what you’re trying to say.’

‘I’m not—‘ Poe starts, and she drills her fingers into his side. He yelps, squirming out of her way. ‘Okay! I’m just saying, you two are close, and if anything happened I’d be really happy for—ow! Ow, stop it!’

Rose quits poking him. ’Where the hell is this coming from?’

‘You’re close. He really likes you. You like him.’

‘Everyone likes Finn, he’s _Finn.’_

‘You kissed him,’ Poe mumbles. ‘On Crait.’

‘Which was about a million years ago,’ Rose retorts.

Poe wonders: does that make it two million years since the Finalizer? Or three?

‘Oh, stars. You are stupid. You are so stupid,’ she exhales so hard it blows a strand of hair out of her face. ‘Our whole Resistance, led by the stupidest man in the galaxy.’

‘Finn leads it too,’ Poe points out.

She thumps him on the forehead with the book, marching off down the hallway.

‘You better bring that back!’ Poe calls after her.

‘Why?’ she yells over her shoulder. ‘You’re too stupid to read!’

*

Poe tries to stay back on the next mission. He’s successful for about half an hour, when Finn comes sprinting into the Memory yelling:

‘Poe! You gotta come down here!’

Poe comes running with a blaster and no shoes. Finn double-takes when he appears, and gestures at him to put the blaster away.

‘What’s wrong?’ Poe asks.

Finn smiles broadly. ‘They’ve got orbaks!’

So Poe’s getting his boots and his pack, and tossing a stale bread roll into the closet for the babies. A stiff breeze whips up his hair—it’s long enough to whip again—the moment he steps off the Memory.

This planet has the same kind of rolling hills as Kef Bir, but the grass is a purplish colour and there’s no tempestuous seas, and thankfully, no wrecked Death Star. The spaceport isn’t much more than a platform on a mesa, with only two shuttles docked beside the Falcon and the Memory. Finn leads him down the hill to where the team are crowded around a fence. As promised, the paddock is full of orbaks.

‘The hostler says it’s half a day’s ride to Lev’s village,’ Finn explains. ‘It’s called Yeosi.’

Jannah and the others are coaxing the beasts over, hands extended to be sniffed. Forten does a remarkable impression of their whickering. Palms are being snuffled and manes are being petted. Poe doesn’t think he’s seen the team look happier.

BB bloops a question.

‘We’ll ask about a cart for you,’ Finn assures him.

The hostler has enough saddles for everyone, but the cart’s not coming back until tomorrow’s delivery. Chewie promises to take BB back to the Memory overnight, and BB promises not to pick fights with Keeo.

Finn’s orbak has a striking speckled cost, while Poe gets a squat little beast covered in splotches. He’s immediately grateful when Finn’s mount starts prancing in circles, while his own plods over to the trough and slurps water.

Finn soothes his mount—Rose was right, everyone and everything likes Finn—and trots over to Poe.

‘How’s she handling?’ Finn asks.

‘Wondering if the cart would be faster,’ Poe confesses.

‘I thought you could ride anything.’

 _‘Fly_ anything,’ Poe amends.

‘I’ll make sure you don’t fall behind,’ Finn winks.

‘I’ll make sure I don’t fall off.’

The ride to Yeosi is long, but not difficult. Poe’s orbak is stubbornly uninteresting, sticking to the middle of the herd. They follow a road that weaves between the hills. One kilometre looks much like the next. In the early afternoon they pass a rock formation the hostler had described to them. Sandstone juts out of the earth at strange, sharp angles, as if a quake tilted it all long ago. At the next summit, Forten calls out: there’s a glimpse of the sea on the horizon. It’s a sign they’re making good progress, probably because the group are accomplished riders. Poe’s ass hurts in ways he’d never known were possible, and he’s tried a lot of ways.

The only time Poe’s mare shows any speed is when they’re passing a grove of short trees. A creature darts out in front of her and she hoots, rearing in surprise. Poe clings on for dear life, stroking her flank and trying to calm her.

‘You okay?’ Finn trots over.

‘Yeah, I’m good,’ Poe says. His mare overcomes her shock well enough to bend down and start grazing.

‘Did you see it?’ Poe points at the trees, where two curious ears poke out. ‘A bunny.’

‘I see it,’ Finn grins. ‘Cute teeth.’

The road winds gradually further into the highlands, until it cuts through a pass in a curving ridge. The orbaks plod through: they know the path better than the humans. The herd comes to a stop on a rocky outcrop, and Poe’s mare is so slow that he hears everyone’s expressions of wonder before she gets close enough for him to see.

The ridge surrounds a crystal blue crater lake, perfectly circular. At the shallower edge is a village of brightly coloured domes. The orbaks are clearly accustomed to pausing at the lookout, but their patience only lasts so long. Jannah kicks her steed forward and she takes off in a gallop, the herd streaming happily towards their home. Poe’s mare manages a bumpy trot, and he arrives a full five minutes after most of the team.

He dismounts and hands his orbak over to a stableboy. Then he joins Lando in staggering down to the lake’s edge and lying on the sand.

‘Getting too old for this,’ Lando complains. Poe groans in agreement. He looks up to see Rose hasn’t even got off her orbak yet.

Finn and Jannah, those of powerful thigh and endless capability, go through the ritual of introducing their team and its mission. Poe has to roll back over and walk—not waddle—up the beach to greet Yeosi’s headwoman, Bastila. She kisses both Poe’s cheeks then his forehead. Their arrival was anticipated, she tells them: the Yeosians had a seer at their Church of the Force. Before he died, he predicted a stolen child returning at the harvest.

Lev is hugged by what must be every denizen of Yeosi. Bastila announces that tomorrow there will be a feast of celebration. The team are to be housed in the drover’s yurts, which a gaggle of lanky teenagers rush to assemble before nightfall.

Once the orbaks are stabled and the team fed dinner—which they insist on paying for—Bastila leads them over a shallower edge of the crater to the yurts. Finn and Poe are assigned their own tent at the top of the hill, while all the others are grouped by fours.

‘So we’re not mixed with the rank and file?’ Poe guesses. The endless introductions of villagers had involved complicated titles, so there must be a sense of hierarchy.

‘Might be,’ Finn trails his hands over the bolts of pink cloth draped from the ceiling. ‘This is the prettiest yurt I’ve ever stayed in.’

Poe laughs. ‘Me too.’

They set down their packs, and find neat piles of clothes folded for them. Poe smiles to himself when he sees Finn take out the second book in the adventure series. There’s a washstand with a basin, cups, and a jug. Palm-sized stones beside the bed emit a warm light.

That’s one problem: there’s only one bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my birthday! So I'm back on my Only One Bed bullshit :)


	19. A Regrettable Number of Pastries

At first, it’s fine. They lie face to face at opposite sides, and it’s not so different from sharing on the Memory. But Finn is close enough that Poe can smell him: fresh sweat from a day’s ride; the mineral element in the water here; and a lingering note of orbak. Poe tries to lay still, to stop fidgeting from the distraction, and stop breathing in so deep it’ll be obvious.

‘Hey,’ Finn reaches into the gap between them, laying his hand over Poe’s. ’Settle.’

Poe huffs out a laugh. ‘Sorry.’

He tries to do as he’s told. Finn flips his hand over, so Poe’s palm is up. He traces the lines on it. Poe’s fingers twitch, wanting to touch back, but as he lets Finn make a pattern, his breathing evens out.

‘You think they really saw us coming?’ Finn asks.

‘Maybe,’ Poe says. ‘I think they were probably planning a harvest feast either way.’

Finn chuckles. ‘That sounds about right.’

Finn’s circling touch lulls him, and Poe drifts into sleep. When he wakes in the night, the unfamiliarity surprises him for a moment, but Finn’s hand is still covering his. Finn squeezes gently. They’re lying much closer than they were—an hour ago? Poe can only guess. The mattress has rolled them inward, so their knees are touching and their heads are bowed together.

‘You’re okay,’ Finn murmurs. ‘I got you.’

‘Finn,’ Poe says. Not a question, just his name.

‘Mm-hm?’

It all looks different at night. Poe interlaces their fingers. A few things come into focus: how often Finn holds his hand. The way Finn touched his skin after Poe was shot on Vardos. Rose calling him stupid.

The glowing stones have faded. There are slivers of moonlight peeking through the yurt. It’s enough to make out the contours of Finn’s face. Those long eyelashes flutter. Finn is awake too.

Finn nudges their hands until he can reach Poe’s forehead. He strokes along Poe’s hairline. Poe arches into it, his own hand untangling from Finn’s so Finn can cup his face. Now he’s free to draw Finn closer, the two of them shifting together in wordless agreement. Finn’s thigh slots between Poe’s: Poe gasps. Finn’s free hand is sliding around his waist, tethering them.

It’s different from any time they’ve embraced before. Finn confirms it with a roll of his hips, the press of his chest to Poe’s, the smile that Poe can feel more than see.

Poe surges forward, and his nose bumps against Finn’s. Finn nuzzles him, cheek pressed to Poe’s, but he dodges away when Poe seeks his mouth.

‘Not yet,’ Finn whispers, his lips so near that Poe feels the warmth of his breath. ‘Not until—‘

Everything goes still.

‘Until what?’ Poe asks.

His voice is so loud that it startles him. He blinks, and the light turns from blue to peach. Finn lying on his back, not his side. Poe is nestled in the crook of his arm.

He sighs, rolling his eyes. The dreams come and go, but they’ve never happened when he’s in Finn’s embrace. Maybe he should have expected it.

Finn’s hand is tangled in the hair at the nape of Poe’s neck. He ruffles the curls as he wakes up, squinting at where Poe’s head rests on his shoulder.

‘Rise and shine,’ Finn smiles.

Poe groans, and not because he’s tired.

*

While the people of Yeosi prepares the feast, they send the team to go splash in the lake. The water is icy: Finn yelps when he dips his toes in. Jannah and Jayelle hold hands so they can’t back out, and romp screaming into the water. Maybe Lando was smarter, staying on the sand.

Poe stands ankle-deep until he adjusts, then knee-deep. It’s not that bad, or at least he can’t feel his feet anymore. The sand is silky, and as he reaches thigh-depth, the bottom changes to smooth pebbles. The crater shelters them from the wind, and as the sun gets higher, the chill of the water grows more welcoming. Poe’s just considering going deeper when the water around him churns. Finn wades past from the beach. He’s now wearing only trunks, which they’d found that morning amongst the clothes in the yurt. Poe had been skeptical about trying on his own pair, but they suit Finn spectacularly. Finn dives longways, launching himself out into the deep. Poe stares. Finn’s back glistens where the water clings to it. The saber scar has faded into a pale streak, only visible when the sun catches it. Judging by the way Finn’s shoulders bunch and stretch as he swims out to Jannah and Jayelle, it doesn’t restrict his movement anymore.

Poe rubs a hand over his mouth. He turns and walks away. When he’s close enough to the beach, he tosses his shirt in Lando’s direction. Then he runs back into the water.

He ducks under before Finn can spot his approach. Beneath the surface, the water is as clear as day, rays of sunlight filtering through. Poe propels himself behind Finn, and when he’s close enough, grabs both Finn’s ankles at once.

Finn thrashes in surprise, and Poe surfaces in time to catch the latter half of the yelling. Poe and the others are laughing: Finn splashes water at him in retaliation. This sets off a game of dunking each other: the team are squealing and tumbling in the water. Poe plays with them until he forgets the cold. Before he tires out he swims deeper, rolling onto his back to stare at the sky. He finds where the ring hangs off his necklace and repositions it to rest in the hollow of his throat.

The water stirs beside him: he doesn’t need to look over to check it’s Finn. His guess is confirmed when a hand tugs teasingly on his ankle. Poe wiggles his foot, then drops until he’s treading water.

‘Hungry?’ Finn asks, pointing back toward the shore. The rest of the team are making their way back to the beach.

‘Yeah,’ he realises as he says it.

He’s about to start swimming when Finn grabs his elbow. ‘Wait.’

Poe glances at him, and Finn points into the water. It glitters, and Poe thinks it’s the sunlight for a moment. Then his eyes adjust: it’s thousands of fish, tiny and silver. The school parts smoothly around them, swirling and darting, reforming again once they’ve passed.

‘Please tell me they’re not flesh-eating fish or something,’ Finn says.

‘I’ve got no idea,’ Poe replies. ‘They might be.’

‘ _Now_ you say this,’ Finn rolls his eyes.

‘Come on,’ Poe starts swimming. ‘We don’t want to end up _being_ the feast.’

*

The feast is a rambunctious celebration. A tale is told of how Lev was taken during a First Order raid: her parents hid her in a bunker and she was gone when they returned. She had not yet received her naming ceremony, so she is officially welcomed into her family as Lev. The party runs long into the evening, until Poe has stuffed himself with a regrettable number of pastries.

As the night turns to music and drinking, Poe sees a few of the Company split off from the villagers. He elbows Finn, who nods. They make their way over.

‘We got answers,’ Dash is saying to Jannah. ‘That’s all we were looking for.’

‘Bastila’s agreed to this?’ Jannah asks.

‘She’s the one who suggested it,’ Lev explains. ‘You’re all my family, so you’re their family by extension.’

‘It doesn’t need to be _our_ home,’ Forten adds. ‘It just has to feel like it could be, someday.’

Poe sighs. He sees the divides forming in the way they face each other: those who know they have nowhere to go; the few who have yet to find their homeworlds; and those committed to the Resistance. The Company always seemed like so many people. Now, though, there are far too few in each group.

‘Anything goes wrong here,’ Finn steps in. ‘We come back for you. You want to visit, we’ll send a shuttle.’

’For those of you who don’t know yet,’ Lev looks at Jannah, Sparrow, Forten, and Finn. ‘If it doesn’t work out, you could come back here.’

‘Yeah,’ Jannah nods, too quickly. ‘Yeah, we could.’

The farewells start, but they don’t have to end tonight. Most of them return to the drinking, to greet their new community or bid their friends goodbye.

Jannah, though, drifts away from the group. Poe approaches her after a moment, giving her a little wave.

‘You okay?’ he asks.

She bites her lip, eyes gleaming with tears. Then she shakes her head as they spill over. Poe takes her hand, holding it tight. She’s shaking a little.

‘It’s the best case scenario, right?’ she says, with all the irony she can muster.

‘Sure,’ Poe gives her a sad smile. ‘Doesn’t mean it’s a happy one.’

He holds an arm out, and she comes in for the hug.

‘You’ve come so far,’ Poe reminds her. ‘You led them all this way.’

‘Sort of wishing I hadn’t,’ she mumbles.

‘I know,’ Poe says softly. ‘We never thought this would be easy. We barely thought it was possible.’

‘You didn’t say that when you authorised the mission,’ she laughs wetly.

‘Of course I didn’t,’ Poe smiles, and she gives him a small punch in the arm.

‘It might be cold comfort right now,’ he says. ‘But you gotta remember: you did it. You got them home.’

Jannah exhales into his chest.

‘Hey,’ a hand rests on Poe’s shoulder. It’s Finn. ‘Jannah?’

Poe lets her go, so she can greet him.

‘You wanna talk?’ Finn asks Jannah. He touches Poe briefly on the arm as a thanks: Poe gives him a nod that says _you got this._

They wander off between the yurts. Poe heads back to the party, and runs into Rose along the way. She tells him Lando’s gone to bed with a Yeosian widower, and Poe rolls his eyes.

‘Of course he did.’

Rose gives him her ale to finish, and heads toward her yurt. Poe sits on a rock, telling himself it doesn’t count as drinking alone if it’s only half a bottle. Finn returns before midnight.

‘She’ll be okay,’ he says.

‘You’re a good man,’ Poe reminds him.

Finn gives him a lopsided smile. ‘She’s a good woman.’

It’s only when they hike back up the hill to the Generals’ Yurt—as Lando called it—that Poe remembers Chewie and BB-8 were meant to come on the cart today. He chalks it up to the slow life of the village, and reminds himself to ask about it tomorrow.


	20. The Ripple Effect

His dreams are restless: snatches of moments, fleeting touches with Finn. He wakes up with Finn’s arms wrapped around him, his back pressed snug to Finn’s chest. He’s learning how to recognise this intimacy as the real kind: Finn grumbles sleepily when Poe moves, which is far less glamorous than the versions of Finn he dreams about.

So he wakes unsure of how much he slept, to sunlight peeking through the yurt’s folds and an orbak honking somewhere nearby.

He gets up, washing his face in the basin. From the stack of clothes he chooses a sleeveless linen tabard, and the snug style of trousers popular with Yeosians. Good for riding orbaks, apparently.

He walks down to the village, but everyone’s still sleeping off the feast. With nothing better to do, he wanders the shore of the lake, collecting flat stones. When he has a handful, he tries skipping them across the water: it takes a few attempts to get the hang of it. Once he does, he can get three or four skips in, and watch them ripple across the deep blue surface.

Finn’s boots crunch in the sand. ‘Morning.’

‘Morning,’ Poe smiles.

‘You eaten?’ Finn asks, handing Poe a bread roll before he can answer. ’They left a platter of these at the tables.’

Poe takes it, biting down. A bit stale, but filling. ‘Thanks.’

He skips the last stone, and Finn whistles in admiration.

‘How’s it healing?’ he gestures at Poe’s waist. The split in the tabard exposes some of the blaster scar from Vardos.

‘Fine,’ Poe says. ‘You patched me up good.’

It’s true: the scar is barely visible, unless you know where to look. Finn knows where.

‘Got any plans for the day?’ Finn asks. He says it so seriously that Poe frowns at him. Finn relents, smirking. ‘I was thinking of checking out the Church.’

‘Sure,’ Poe follows Finn up the main street. They pass a few villagers already up and about, making small talk along the way. The Church stands at the top of the street. A caretaker greets them, and asks if they’re here for a reason.

‘Just visiting,’ Finn tells her.

The caretaker shows them around, inviting them to sit around a shallow pool of water with a mosaic set into it. Finn settles into a meditative pose, and Poe mirrors him. He stares at the looping patterns of tiles, and wonders if it’s designed after the crater lake.

He steals a glance up at Finn. Finn notices, and gives him a small smile.

‘You feel anything?’ he asks.

‘No,’ Poe admits. ‘But it’s nice here. Don’t let me distract you.’

‘You’re a walking distraction,’ Finn rolls his eyes.

‘I’m sitting,’ Poe points out.

Finn snorts.

‘Can you feel something?’ Poe asks.

Finn takes a deep breath before answering. ‘Maybe. Sometimes it’s hard to—hmm.’

He frowns. Poe tilts his head in concern, and Finn closes his eyes.

‘There’s something,’ Finn shakes his head, frustrated. ‘But it’s…’

Poe is already getting to his feet when Finn looks up.

‘Something’s wrong.’

In the next second they’re running. Finn shouts a warning to the caretaker, and they burst onto the street. With a gesture, Finn says he’ll take care of the village if Poe gets up to the yurts. The hill is steeper from the Church, and Poe is damp with sweat by the time he reaches the team. Rose sees his approach and starts warning the others. Poe rushes into the yurt, grabbing his and Finn’s blasters.

‘What is it?’ Jannah calls out when he emerges.

‘Don’t know!’ Poe tells her. ‘Something’s coming.’

‘Company, weapons ready!’ Jannah shouts, toting her bow. ‘Defend the village!’

As she says it, Poe hears the whirring engines. Eight white speeder bikes leap over the edge of the crater. Poe watches them as he sprints towards the village: they hug the inner wall of the crater as they approach. The natural bowl amplifies the noise until it’s earsplitting, the lake darkening with ripples.

The Yeosians are forming a line at the edge of the houses. All of them are armed, while the children and elderly are nowhere in sight: the people have clearly done this before. A few of them ride orbaks up over the ridge—Poe guesses they’re scouting for secondary attacks. Bastila is mounted on an orbak, carrying a cannon. Poe scans the gathered defenders as he rushes toward the frontline.

‘Finn!’ he shouts. His voice is drowned out by the speeders, but he spots Finn turning near the shoreline. Poe tosses the blaster and Finn catches it, holstering the baton he’d acquired.

‘Shields!’ the headwoman shouts, and some of the teenagers wriggle through the lines with sheets of metal. The Company are climbing onto the roofs of houses for a clear line of sight.

The curve of the crater means the troopers can’t fire a straight shot until they’re within range of the cannon. Bastila dispatches the first two with a burst of shots, their bodies careening into the lake. The next pair dodge smoothly, arcing out to blast the defenders from the flanks. A villager shouts in pain. The Yeosians barrage the bikes with blaster fire: one rider successfully dodges, and the other bike becomes a fireball. There’s more shouting as defenders scatter to escape it.

‘Flametroopers!’ Lando shouts. ‘Don’t hit the fuel tanks!’

Their blaster fire takes down a fourth, but another comes bursting through the explosion. The flamethrowers on the bike plough through the defenders. Poe can’t get a clean shot without risking a fuel tank.

A blaster goes off behind him. Poe startles, but the bolt zips past his ear to hit the trooper in the knee. She shrieks, tumbling to the ground. Her bike spins out wildly, crashing into a building.

 _‘Sparrow!’_ someone yells. Poe turns to see them diving into the wreckage. For a breathless moment he thinks it’s Finn, but Finn scrambles past him towards the fallen flametrooper. He hits her with a stun shot, and steals her blaster while his reloads.

‘Poe!’ he shouts, diving forward. He slams Poe around the waist—okay, maybe the wound in Poe’s belly hasn’t healed _that_ well—and they both hit the ground. A wall of heat passes above them, the flames close enough to singe Poe’s eyebrows. Finn is heavy on top of him, his face an inch from Poe’s.

‘You okay?’ he asks.

‘Yeah,’ Poe can’t quite breathe. ‘Thanks.’

Finn nods quickly, climbing off him. He twists, taking the baton off his back in one fluid motion. The bike is turning in their direction. Finn swings the baton outward so swiftly he’s not even looking, clotheslining the rider. A Yeosian follows with a blaster shot. The bike whizzes over the edge of the crater, followed by a boom.

Finn holds out his hand and Poe takes it, letting himself be pulled upright.

‘Two more?’ Poe checks. There’s a crash, and the Company starts cheering from the roofs.

‘One more,’ Finn grins.


	21. Flip and Cook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're halfway there! Thank you intricatecakes for coming on board as a second beta ^_^

The last bike zips away, climbing the lip of the crater so fast it almost pitches over. But the rider dodges their blaster fire and disappears.

‘Don’t let them get away!’ Bastila shouts. They run toward the yurt hill, the nearest way out of the valley on foot. Poe makes it to the crest in time to see Lev and Jannah galloping on orbaks. Jannah takes aim with her bow. She hits one of the engines and the bike somersaults, sending the rider headfirst into the ground. Bax and Jannah ride over to check the damage, and wave to confirm the last kill.

The Yeosians don’t celebrate: they immediately set about identifying the dead and wounded. Finn goes back to the flametrooper he stunned, taking off her helmet and checking her vitals.

‘This one’s a prisoner,’ he tells Bastila. ‘She’s not to be—‘

‘Finn!’ Rose is yelling at the top of her lungs. ‘Lando! Poe! _HURRY!’_

They bolt up to where Rose is beckoning them, past the Generals’ Yurt. Poe glances around, but he can’t see Lando. As they clear the top of the hill, a shadow falls over them. The Falcon whips past, but Poe doesn’t have time to feel anything except dread: a First Order starfighter is in rapid pursuit.

The Falcon veers sharply, its boarding ramp lowering above them. A cable drops to Poe’s height, and he grabs it. He gets an arm around Finn and the two of them are hoisted into the air. Finn clings to him as they swing madly. The cable reels them in. They go careening into the loading bay as BB-8’s cable snakes back into his body, and he unclips the other cord tethering him to the ship. Chewie yells urgently them from the cockpit.

‘We’re here!’ Poe calls out, scrambling to his feet. Finn is already heading for the gunner hatch, while Poe vaults into the seat beside Chewie and pulls the headset on.

‘In position!’ Finn reports, while Poe sets the stabilisers.

‘Chewie, we gotta draw them away from the crater!’ Poe says, and Chewie hollers. They skirt by the starfighter, coming too close not to tempt their fire. Poe maximises deflectors along each panel of the Falcon exposed, while Finn lets off a volley of shots. They loop down into the valleys. Poe hisses as he sees the ugly ruts the speeders have left in the grass. But the starfighter is turning to catch them.

‘Flip and cook?’ Finn suggests.

‘Flip and cook!’ Poe confirms, and Chewie agrees. Poe deactivates the warning lights while Chewie hits the brakes. As the starfighter catches up, Poe flips all the toggles around the throttle. Chewie cranks down on the control yoke. The engines shudder with frustration.

‘Ready?’ Poe calls.

‘Ready!’ Finn answers, and it’s just like every time they’ve ever flown together.

Chewie hoots, and releases the brakes. The Falcon jerks upwards in a sharp loop, and suddenly the starfighter is in front of them, not behind. Finn shoots the undercarriage and the ship shatters, parts raining down across the lowlands.

‘Any more of them?’ Poe asks. Chewie shakes his head, and they circle back to the yurts.

The villagers are in a flurry below, hauling orbs onto carts. As they get closer, Poe realises they’re globes of water. The Falcon lowers onto the grass, and Finn calls out a question.

‘The fires!’ Bastila explains. ‘It’ll burn the grasslands down if we don’t put them out.’

‘Bring them aboard,’ Poe suggests, and the team gets to work hauling water globes onto the Falcon.

There’s already smoke on the horizon when they take off again. Chewie flies them there, and Yeosians shove orbs off the ramp until the flames are doused. Poe can see more villagers on the ground with orbaks hauling carts, dousing the fires around the crater’s edge. They do one last sweep before Chewie lands the Falcon where they took off. The spot is easy to find: the grass has withered from the few minutes the ship was on it earlier.

‘It’s so fragile,’ Finn realises. ‘Must be why we had to ride orbaks up here.’

‘Chewie, why didn’t you signal us?’ Poe asks.

Chewie grumbles in response.

Poe turns to Bastila. ‘You’re jamming the comms?’

‘Damn right we are,’ she grumbles. ‘You think it’s an accident the spaceport is so far from the village?’

‘Or that they only ever took one child from us?’ adds a water-hauler. ‘We do what we have to.’

‘Okay,’ Poe concedes. ‘I get the idea.’

BB-8 rolls up, beeping excitedly. Poe crouches down to praise him.

‘You were so strong, pulling us up like that!’ he scritches BB’s belly. ‘I missed you yesterday.’

BB and Chewie both start recounting the story of the Stormtroopers landing at the spaceport, to be led on a wild bantha chase that lasted all night.

 _‘Keeo_ lured them away?’ Poe repeats.

‘Don’t thank me,’ drones a voice from the hold. ‘Don’t even speak to me.’

‘Thank you, Keeo,’ Poe calls.

They empty out the Falcon’s medical gear and carry it all down to the village. Sparrow has burns on her leg from the explosion. She refuses the bacta bandages, insisting others need it more. Poe has to admit she’s right: one of the youths manning the shields was hit badly by shrapnel from a bike. A dozen villagers are injured, and three are dead. Lando and Chewie make another trip back to the spaceport for more medical supplies.

Poe finds Bastila, after she’s spoken to the families of those killed.

‘I’m sorry,’ he says. ‘Did we bring this to your door?’

‘They have always come as they please,’ she shakes her head. ‘We were better defended because of you, and now our wounded are better treated.’

‘Okay,’ Poe sighs heavily. ‘Then I’m glad we can help.’

She moves on, to speak with Sparrow. Finn approaches, and Poe can barely lift his hand to wave.

‘Anybody checked on you yet?’ Finn asks.

‘Honestly, most of what I did was running,’ Poe recalls. ‘And falling.’

‘I can see that,’ Finn points at Poe’s upper arm. Poe twists it to look: bruises are beginning to bloom. A bleeping noise interrupts him, and Poe scowls when he sees Finn waving a scanner at his head.

‘No concussion,’ Finn puts a hand on his shoulder. ‘Why don’t you take a nap?’

‘I, uh,’ Poe blinks slowly. ‘I really oughta…’

‘Get some rest, General,’ Finn adds pressure, until Poe is sitting down. The chair underneath him is _really_ soft. ‘We need you fresh when we talk to the prisoner.’


	22. Who Killed Mrs Clunky?

The captured flametrooper is being held on the Falcon. She’s beginning to stir when Poe gets there: Finn and Jannah have removed her armour and tied her to a chair. Rose is in the corner, tinkering with Keeo. Jayelle and Forten have apparently been here for a while, because they’re deep in a game of dejarik.

‘We’ll tell her who we are,’ Jannah explains. ‘See if she wants to join us.’

‘You think she’ll go for it?’ Poe asks ‘You killed all her buddies and tied her to a chair.’

‘She’s a burnout,’ Finn sees Poe’s confusion. ‘A flametrooper.’

‘They’ve got…’ Jannah purses her lips. ‘A certain disposition. PV corps looks for the kind of people who like setting fire to stuff.’

‘The droids call them roasters,’ Keeo adds.

Finn and Jannah share a look of distaste. It dawns on Poe that there’s an entire web of Stormtrooper rivalries that he knows nothing about.

‘Maybe she’ll wanna set fire to the First Order,’ Poe suggests.

‘Sure,’ Rose mutters. ‘Or maybe she’ll wanna eat my shock prod.’

The prisoner groans. Everyone turns to watch as she snorts awake, looking around the room. She focuses first on her helmet, where it’s been discarded on the floor. Then Jannah, Finn, and Poe. She glances at Jayelle and Forten as they approach: Rose and Keeo are a bit too far behind her to be seen. She doesn’t seem to recognise where she is.

‘Hi,’ Jannah pulls up a crate and sits in front of her. ‘You’re PV-6101, right?’

The prisoner looks down at her shirt, where the numbers are printed, then raises an eyebrow like Jannah can’t read.

‘We’re not going to hurt you,’ Jannah tells her.

The prisoner rolls her eyes. Rose also looks surprised.

‘My name was TZ-1719,’ Jannah says. Poe blinks: he doesn’t think he’s ever heard her say it before. ‘This is JL-4410, and JL-3621. The rest of Company 77 is outside.’

‘77 were killed by insurgents,’ the prisoner says.

‘We defected,’ Jayelle tells her. ‘The whole Company did. Nobody died on Ansett Island.’

‘You’re lying.’

Jannah tilts her head. ‘You’d be about Batch Ten, right?’

The prisoner squints: she’s not that good at hiding her reactions.

Jannah rattles off: ‘Last bed made in the morning had to clean the showers. Target droid called Mrs Clunky. There was a pirated holo they used to pass around with a Nautolan sitcom.’

Finn’s eyes go wide at what Poe can only guess is an unplanned trip down memory lane.

‘We escaped,’ Jannah continues. ‘We found the Resistance. This is Finn.’

‘FN-2187,’ Finn waves as Jannah gets up. ‘I killed Mrs Clunky.’

Rose can’t conceal a snort.

‘That’s Rose Tico, and Poe Dameron,’ Finn introduces them. ‘They’re helping us find the families we were taken from.’

The prisoner looks at them for a long time, and asks: ‘How?’

‘Keeo,’ Rose calls him over. ‘Look up PV-6101.’

‘This is Keeo,’ Poe explains. ’He puts the malicious in malicious compliance.’

‘My condolences,’ Keeo sounds completely unsympathetic. ‘I understand the profound humiliation of being captured by these incompetents.’

‘He has all our records,’ Forten says. ‘Including the date and coordinates of your birth. We’re using those to find our parents.’

‘This village is TZ-7011’s home,’ Jayelle adds. ‘Her family have welcomed her back.’

Jayelle doesn’t mention what happened to her own family, just like Finn doesn’t mention his file has no chain code.

‘What did they call you?’ Jannah presses. ‘Your unit?’

She peers at Keeo, then back to Jannah. ‘Toast.’

Poe has to hide his face behind his hand for a second.

‘Okay, Toast,’ Finn says solemnly. ‘Did you know the Resistance was here?’

‘I don’t know a damn thing,’ snaps Toast. ‘I was stationed on a Star Destroyer. Never been on-world, then all of us get reassigned last month.’

‘All of PV corps?’ Finn asks.

 _‘All_ of us,’ Toast gets more talkative, now she’s angry at someone else. ‘Every Stormtrooper. Broke up all the companies, sent us all halfway across the galaxy. Nobody knows what the hell they’re doing.‘

‘PV-6101 chain code available,’ Keeo announces. He reads it off.

Jannah asks: ‘So that means her homeworld would be…?’

‘Hays Minor,’ Rose answers. ‘It’s the code for Hays Minor.’

Everyone falls silent for a second.

‘What’s Hays Minor?’ Toast asks.

Rose grits her teeth. ‘A mining planet in the Otomok system.’

‘She’s Haysian?’ Finn frowns.

‘As much as anyone in the First Order can be,’ Rose mutters. ‘It was flametroopers who _cleansed_ the mining towns.’

‘Never been off a Star Destroyer in my life,’ Toast repeats.

‘All this time, they could've had any of us firing on our own people,’ Jannah murmurs. ‘We’d never have known.’

‘It’d be a hell of a coincidence,’ Forten points out.

‘Or a Captain with a sick sense of humour,’ Finn argues. The look on his face says he knows exactly which Captain would do it.

‘They’d be making it impossible to go home,’ Poe says. ‘To show your face again.’

A shudder passes over the group. It skips Keeo.

‘Rose,’ Jannah asks. ‘Do you think we could find Toast’s family?’

‘If they weren’t in the mining towns,’ Rose growls. ‘Maybe.’

‘In any case,’ Jannah says to Toast. ‘If you choose to come with us, we’ll do everything we can to find them. If we can’t, there’ll be a place for you in the Resistance.’

‘What’s the alternative?’ Toast asks. ‘I’ll be executed if I return after being captured.’

Rose and Poe flinch, but the others look unsurprised.

‘We drop you on an inhabited planet with enough money not to starve,’ Jannah shrugs. ‘You’d be getting the better deal staying with us. We’ll feed you long-term.’

Toast considers this, staring at each of them. Finally, she nods. Jannah and Forten untie her. She rubs her wrists, turning to Rose.

‘Was it cold?’ she asks.

Rose stares at her. ‘All year round.’

Finn catches Poe’s eye, and jerks his head toward their cabin. They slip away while the others take care of Toast.

‘They reassigned every Stormtrooper last month,’ Finn says.

‘Do they do that?’ Poe asks.

Finn shakes his head. ‘Too many resources, no point. Not unless they had a reason to.’

‘So what do you think it is?’

‘I’m thinking about Oats—Yasmin,’ Finn says. ’We told that neighbour what happened to her nephew. All the worlds we go, we’ve been giving people their children’s files.’

‘Telling them where their kids ended up,’ Poe realises. ‘Someone went looking.’

‘The easiest way for the First Order to hide them again would be to scramble the entire force,’ Finn points out. ‘Make Keeo’s intel obsolete.’

‘But this means we’re onto them,’ Poe says. ‘It means people are fighting back!’

‘And all the troopers we deal with are going to be as confused as Toast,’ Finn adds.

‘Do you think she’s really gonna go for it?’ Poe asks.

‘One way to find out,’ Finn leads him back to the main hold.

‘Quite the record of noncompliance,’ Keeo is saying. ‘Is this why they call you _burnouts?’_

‘You wanna find out why we’re called _roasters?’_ she snaps.

‘Already fighting with Keeo?’ Poe laughs. ‘You’ll fit right in.’

‘And making trouble for the First Order,’ Jannah grins. ‘One of us deep down.’

‘Maybe I just like making trouble,’ Toast pulls a face.

‘Really?’ Jayelle drawls. ‘We’d never have got that impression from you.’

When Toast is settled—or at least nobody thinks she’ll be stupid enough to steal a blaster—they head back to the village. Some of the team are already repairing the destroyed house, while Yeosians are hauling the wrecked bikes onto carts for scrapping. Sparrow’s burns are mending well with salve. The healer slathers Poe’s bruised arm with balm before he goes. The smell makes his eyes water, but it stops the aching.

‘I meant to ask,’ Poe meets Finn outside. ‘Did you have a noncompliance record?’

‘Nope,’ Finn says. ‘Kept my head down.’

’Really?’ Poe can’t help smiling. ‘Seems unlike you.’

‘It _felt_ unlike me,’ Finn shrugs. ‘Early on, I used to act up. Managed to talk my way into custodial duties instead of a formal reprimand.’

‘Huh,’ Poe narrows his eyes. ‘Persuasive.’

Finn glares at him. ‘You think I…?’

‘Do _you_ think you did?’

Finn stares into middle distance, recollecting. ‘Dunno. Can you trick someone without knowing you’re doing it?’

‘Ask Rey, I guess,’ Poe suggests.

‘Hmm,’ Finn agrees.

‘So what happened with Mrs Clunky?’

‘Oh, I got a commendation for that,’ Finn laughs. ‘Best marksman in the batch.’

‘Did that get you back in their good books?’

‘After they replaced the droid, sure,’ Finn says.

They walk to the lake’s edge: it’s early afternoon, and the sun is high. Poe kicks his boots off. At that moment, he doesn’t care about the balm or the lack of spare clothes. He stinks of stale sweat and speeder smoke. He strips down and plunges into the water.

When he surfaces, Finn has waded in next to him.

‘Better?’ he asks.

Poe nods. ‘About the persuasive thing. I’m sorry if that was weird.’

Finn shrugs. ‘You might be right. I’m just scared I do it now.’

‘You don’t,’ Poe insists.

‘But you’d say that, wouldn’t you?’ Finn looks grim.

‘You’re learning to sense the Force, right?’ Poe asks. ‘You could listen for when it’s happening.’

‘I guess,’ Finn nods.

‘If you were using it on your superiors, that’s… well, there’s worse people to be using it on,’ Poe says.

Finn crouches until he’s submerged to his shoulders, next to Poe in the water.

‘I used to memorise details,’ Finn recalls. ‘Anything that could be a weakness, so if I ever met someone in the Resistance, I could make it worth their while.’

‘We’d have helped you anyway, you know,’ Poe tells him.

‘I know that _now,’_ Finn smiles. ‘But I figured the best thing to do was wait.’

‘Until you had a pilot,’ Poe grins.

‘A desperate, disheveled pilot,’ Finn splashes water at him.

‘I was not disheveled!’ Poe protests.

‘A desperate, _handsome_ pilot,’ Finn amends. ‘Who needed me.’

‘Do you think we can find one of those for Toast?’ Poe asks.

Finn snorts. ‘Maybe Chewie’s her type.’

‘He’s spoken for,’ Poe says. ‘Maz’d have something to say about it.’

‘Oh, that’s really a thing?’ Finn’s eyebrows go up.

‘Buddy, I have no idea,’ Poe laughs. ‘And I’m not about to ask.’

When they get back to the beach, Lando’s got a stack of towels.

‘Officer’s privileges,’ he winks, and sends them back to the yurt.


	23. For the Other Shoe to Drop

The Resistance doesn’t remain long in Yeosi after the attack. Half the Company decide to stay: the rest promise to visit next season. Forten almost chooses the village: even though he hasn’t been to his world, he misses his life as the orbak groom on Kef Bir. Jannah persuades him to stick with the search.

‘Even if you end up coming back, at least you’ll have found out what you could,’ she tells him. ‘Anyway, who knows? It could be even better than this.’

The Memory feels empty with so many left behind. The porg chicks have begun to explore their cabin, tottering around and peeping when they fall over. Finn dotes on them, checking each one has survived in his absence—Poe doesn’t mention how porgs seem to thrive on ships without any help.

Forten’s world is next on the route; then Sparrow’s; and finally, Jannah’s. Jayelle and Bax are among those who’ve chosen the Resistance over Yeosi. Toast declines the offer to add Hays Minor to their journey: Rose says they’ll go later, when Toast has found her feet.

Forten’s world doesn’t have a single human on it. The locals say the colony collapsed when the First Order took the children, and the original peoples seized the opportunity to reclaim their home. It’s firmly suggested that the sooner they get off this planet, the better.

‘Can we go back, now?’ Forten asks. Lando re-routes them to Yeosi, but Forten nearly backs out when he realises it’s a week added to the journey.

‘It takes as long as it takes,’ Lando insists.

They drop Forten back at the spaceport, and the hostler greets him warmly. Forten shares a tearful goodbye with Jannah. Afterwards, she watches from the cockpit as they take off. Glancing through the viewport, Poe thinks he sees the orbaks flocking to the fence.

By the time they reach Sparrow’s world, her burns from the flametrooper battle have healed. It’s another city, sparkling like a jewel in the middle of a desert. They track down Sparrow’s uncle, a man called Omid. He’d believed his niece was killed with the rest of the family. He’s overjoyed, but he has little to offer: he’s lived in boarding houses since the First Order’s war. He repairs droids for a living. He praises BB-8’s colours, and Poe likes the man immediately.

‘I could apprentice you,’ Omid tells Sparrow. ‘But the jobs are few and far between.’

Finn glances at Poe: Poe nods. Lando’s already smiling.

‘You could come with us,’ Finn offers.

A smile breaks over Sparrow’s face. ‘Really?’

’The Resistance could use your skills,’ Poe says. ‘Our base isn’t in great shape, but there’s space.’

‘And air conditioning,’ Finn winks at Rose.

Omid laughs. ‘Wait. Do you pay?’

‘Yeah, we pay,’ Lando claps him on the shoulder. ‘Welcome aboard.’

Finn elbows Poe on the way back to the ship. ‘See? Told you the poster boy would come in handy.’

*

Jannah’s home planet is made up of sprawling townships connected by highways. It’s the kind of place that keeps records, but won’t disclose Jannah’s information without her having her primary and secondary identification. The offer of credits slid across the desk gets them a firm warning about anti-corruption policies, so they set off without help to the coordinates of Jannah’s chain code.

It’s all new neighbourhoods: Rose guesses they were built after the First Order. Canvassing gets them nowhere: most of the survivors from those days were re-homed to other districts. Bax and Jayelle spend a day digging through property deeds in a real estate office. They come back with a few leads, which takes them fifty klicks down the highway to a cluster of nearly-identical mansions. Their rented speeder clatters and coughs the whole way there.

‘Not what I expected,’ Jannah mutters as they cross-reference Jayelle and Bax’s list of addresses with a map of the area.

An evening of knocking on doors turns up nothing. They drive the speeder ten klicks back to a hotel with grimy walls and dim lights. Poe’s room is a level below Finn’s: he can hear every footfall through the ceiling before finally getting to sleep.

It’s back to canvassing in the morning. Each of them takes a street, and Poe spends a few hours doing his same talk at strangers. Every door is the same colour. Finally, Lando finds someone who recalls a woman at the end of the lane who lost a daughter during the First Order occupation. They gather the team from around the neighbourhood and park the speeder out front. People are starting to peek through their curtains at the seven travel-worn strangers in a rental speeder. Jannah knocks on the front door.

A man answers: he looks more like Poe than he does like Jannah. She tells her story. Her voice is getting flat from repetition. Poe wonders if they should call for a break after this. They’re not eavesdropping, or not intentionally: there’s just no space between the front door and the road.

‘Let me get my wife,’ the man frowns, disappearing from the doorway. They wait for so long that Finn starts to fidget. Then a woman comes to the door. She’s shorter than Jannah, but she has the same gap in her front teeth.

‘I’m Gara,’ she introduces herself. ‘You wanted to see me?’

‘Hi,’ Jannah’s voice grows shaky. ‘I think I might be your daughter.’

Gara frowns. ‘Pip?’

‘Um, I don’t know,’ Jannah says. ‘I was born eight days into the new year, 21 years ago. About fifty klicks up the road?’

Gara is looking at Jannah, and twenty years away. ‘My little girl was born that day.’

‘It might—I think it could be me,’ Jannah says all in a rush. ‘The First Order stole us away. We escaped; we’ve been trying to find our families.’

Gara’s face crumples. ‘Why did you take so long?’

A sob escapes Jannah. Finn rises from his seat in the speeder, ready to go to her.

‘I think you’d better come inside,’ Gara opens the door wider.

Jannah looks back at them. Finn nods encouragingly. Jannah goes in, and the door closes.

Poe lays his head back against the seat. After so many versions of this conversation, so many times Jannah took the lead, the moment feels adrift without her.

‘Do we wait here?’ Bax asks.

‘There’s a park further up the road,’ Jayelle suggests.

The park is small. There’s a shrine to a local deity, with offerings of food and drink left at its feet. Rose fishes out a snack bar from her pocket and puts it beside the other offerings. They wander around until they find wildflowers in the bushes, and bring them back to the shrine.

‘Do we pray?’ Finn whispers.

Poe shrugs. ‘If you want.’

Finn peers at the deity. It seems to peer back, with its three beady eyes.

‘I’m good,’ he decides. ‘What if it doesn’t like flowers?’

 _‘Then_ we pray,’ Lando jokes.

They settle at a picnic table, and this time Jayelle brought cards. Chewie wins the first game, and Finn leans over to mutter in Poe’s ear: _‘Cheating.’_

Poe chuckles, but they don’t accuse him.

Jannah comes back after an hour.

‘My father died in the raid,’ she explains. ‘Gara remarried when she came here. I’ve two older step-brothers. One of them was home. He seems… surprised.’

Jannah sighs. Finn puts a hand on her shoulder, and she places hers over it. ‘She keeps calling me Pip.’

The world kept turning, because that’s what worlds do.

*

They drop Jannah back at the house the next day. She looks hopeful again, trotting up the front steps. Still, they wait in the speeder for half an hour, just in case. There’s a complex playing holovids back towards the city, so they kill a few hours there.

Jannah checks in at lunch, hailing them on the comm.

‘You okay?’ Finn asks.

There’s a slight pause. ‘Yeah. Yeah, it’s just hard.’

‘Of course,’ Finn holds the comm close.

‘They didn’t know we were Stormtroopers,’ Jannah sighs. ‘She’s… having trouble with that.’

‘That makes sense,’ Finn tells her, and the others gather around.

‘Even with Exegol,’ Jannah clicks her tongue. ‘She disagrees with violence.’

Finn pulls a face. ‘It was literally the First Order. The people who took her kid!’

Jannah sighs again, harder this time. ‘I don’t want to fight about it.’

‘Sorry,’ Finn says. ‘Didn’t mean to lecture you.’

‘You said what I said,’ she admits. ‘This might take a long time.’

‘As long as you need,’ Finn promises, and everyone echoes him.

It takes a week. Poe only sees it in glimpses and secondhand stories: Gara’s grief comes back afresh. They visit Jannah’s father’s grave: Gara hasn’t been in years. Jannah returns to the hotel weary. There’s a day Gara needs to herself. One night Jannah stays over, but asks to see the others for lunch. Her stepbrother irritates her. There’s a chasm between Jannah and the woman Gara imagined Pip to be. But most times when Poe picks her up in the speeder, Gara hugs her goodbye. Jannah’s smiles get less forced.

‘She talked about us going to the summer festival,’ Jannah bites her lip. ‘It’s months away.’

‘That’s great news,’ Lando grins. ‘You’re getting there.’

Her eyes are gleaming. Poe hopes maybe, just this one last time, it will all work out okay.


	24. Chubby by Nature

They’re drinking at the hotel one night when Lando brings Jannah back.

‘Finn?’ she says. ‘We’d like if you could come over for dinner tomorrow.’

‘Uh, sure,’ Finn doesn’t mask his surprise. ‘Thank you.’

Visible relief washes over Jannah. ‘Brilliant!’

She throws her arms around him. Finn pats her back.

’I’ve talked about you so much,’ she says. ‘I know she’ll understand, if she meets you.’

Poe sees over her shoulder how Finn’s eyes close as he buries his face in her neck.

And maybe Poe shouldn’t have had that last drink. This slow planet is getting to him, and it’s been too long since he flew. He hates that after all Jannah helped everyone find their place, she might not find hers. And Poe is glad, _so_ glad, that Finn can be there for her when she needs him, to settle her in. So he ignores the sour part of him that flares with jealousy.

All the next day it simmers, while he takes Finn back to the Memory to pick out his smartest clothes. Chewie and the last of the Company have been hanging around the spaceport with the droids. Toast and Keeo haven’t killed each other, but apparently Omid almost dismantled him to upgrade his scomp chip. Finn and Poe update everyone on Jannah’s progress. Poe promises the others are getting the better end of it: the spaceport is much more interesting than anywhere further afield.

In their cabin, the babies are nowhere to be seen. They were learning to flutter two weeks ago, Finn recalls, so they’re probably exploring off the vents of the ship. Poe silently dreads the possibility that they’ll start a porg plague on this planet.

Finn tosses all his clothes on the bed, changing in and out of things unselfconsciously. Poe folds his arms and keeps his comments strictly fashion-related.

‘Wish you were coming with me,’ Finn grins.

‘Nah, it’d be weird,’ Poe assures him. ‘This is about you and Jannah.’

‘Yeah, but you’re my…’ Finn pauses.

Poe’s heart pauses too.

‘… you know,’ Finn waves his hand. ‘My Co-General.’

Poe laughs, scratching the back of his head. ’Well, it’s not gonna be a strategy meeting.’

‘Right, ‘cause that’s all you and me do together,’ Finn raises a sarcastic eyebrow.

Poe knows Finn flirts. He’s seen how easily everyone falls for Finn. How Finn opens himself up in moments like this, and all Poe ever does is choke. Words of warning get so thick in his throat that he can’t speak: he’s worn out and bitter, except for the edges of him sharpened by grief. He’s a flyboy that ended up a General, a General that ended up… more than that, to Finn. And now they’re stuck in this halfway-place, when the one thing Poe used to be good at was getting out.

Finn sighs, like Poe said it out loud. ‘Just… promise me you’ll be outside if it goes bad.’

‘Won’t leave the speeder,’ Poe gives him a little salute.

Finn takes one last look at the outfit: the blue scarf he bought at the fens is tied smartly over a crisp shirt.

‘Poe?’ Finn bites his lip. ‘I’m scared.’

Poe is immediately at Finn’s side. ‘Oh, buddy, no, you’re going to be amazing.’

Finn’s eyes squeeze shut, and he shakes his head. ’Not of that. If she decides to stay. I want this to work out for her, but I don’t… I don’t know what I’m gonna do without her.’

‘Well,’ Poe looks at Finn in the mirror, pressing out an invisible crease in the shirt. ‘It’s like she said to the others. Nothing says you can’t come back.’

 _Nothing says you can’t stay._ Poe feels those words in the pit of his stomach.

‘She _understands_ , Poe,’ Finn tugs the neck of the scarf. ‘When I met her, nobody else knew what it was like. But she’d done the same as me, and there’s stuff with her… stuff I don’t need to explain.’

‘I get it—I mean, I don’t _get it,_ but I…’ Poe’s voice dies in his throat.

‘Let’s…’ Finn’s voice is so small. ‘Let’s go home, after this.’

‘Yeah,’ Poe rests his hand on Finn’s back, above the scar. ‘I’ll fly you.’

‘I know,’ Finn gives him a short smile.

Poe waits in the hallway while Finn changes back into his traveling gear. He presses his palms together, fingertips resting on the bridge of his nose, and sighs roughly into his hands. When he opens his eyes, two miserable black eyes are staring back.

At least Chubby looks to be living up to his name.

*

Poe sits in the speeder with a flashlight wedged against his shoulder. The last book in the adventure series is in his lap, and he takes his time with it as the hours tick by. He catches the occasional glimpse of movement behind the curtains in Gara’s house, but watching feels creepy, so he immerses himself in the book.

Maybe the park is more fun at night. He drums his fingers on the dash and adjusts the leather cuff on his wrist. No, he promised Finn he’d wait. He tells himself no news is good news, and patience is a virtue, and all the pithy clichés he can recall.

He’s on the second-last chapter when the front door opens. Finn kisses Gara on the cheek and turns toward the speeder. He walks a little faster than usual, hopping in beside Poe. Poe shuts off his flashlight and sits up straight. Jannah is still in the hall with her mother, talking too low for them to hear.

‘You okay?’ Poe whispers.

Finn exhales through his nose. ‘Could’ve been worse.’

Poe bumps his shoulder with Finn’s in sympathy.

‘There’s all these…’ Finn glances up to check Gara and Jannah are distracted. ‘Customs. Men are meant to pour tea for the women,’ he says. ’I took nuts out of the bowl for the three-eyed god. There’s this chant you’re meant to do before meals. Jannah’s trying to learn it: Gara kept saying it’ll come back to her.’

Poe grimaces. ‘That’s a lot to ask.’

‘It’s all a lot,’ Finn mutters. ‘I don’t think—‘

Jannah turns and starts striding toward the speeder. Gara lingers in the doorway.

‘Pip?’

Even silhouetted by the house, the tension in Jannah’s stance is obvious. She turns, and the light catches streaks of tears on her cheeks.

Gara calls out: ’I am glad to have seen you.’

Jannah nods. ‘I’m glad too.’

She gets in the speeder. Poe drives them to the hotel in silence. When he pulls up, they don’t get out right away. Finn twists so he can put an arm around Jannah.

This undoes it all: she breaks down into sobs, clinging to Finn’s scarf. Finn glances over at Poe, looking like he might cry as well.

‘She’s my _mum,’_ Jannah’s voice shakes.

‘I know,’ Finn holds her tight. Poe fishes out a handkerchief and hands it wordlessly to Finn. Finn dabs her face until she takes it from him.

‘All this time I’ve been imagining what it would be like to meet her,’ Jannah sniffles. ‘And she—she spent all this time learning how to move on.’

‘You tried,’ Finn reminds her. ‘You tried _so hard._ Harder than any of us.’

She laughs wetly. ’I think Bax might disagree.’

‘He’d never,’ Finn smiles. ‘Anyway. Your mom’s safe. She’s well. Those are good things.’

Her face crumples like she’s trying to believe it. ‘Yeah.’

Poe finds the chain around his neck, finger hooking into it so it’s pulled tight.

‘I have answers,’ Jannah assures herself. ‘That’s all any of us were hoping to find.’

Finn rests his chin on her head, looking away for a moment. His voice is very soft.

‘You wanna come home now?’

Jannah nods emphatically, snuffling into the handkerchief.

‘Good,’ Finn smiles. ‘Because the Resistance needs you.’

She looks up at Poe. He reaches out and squeezes her hand, nodding.

They head into the hotel. Poe says goodbye at the elevator, while Jannah and Finn continue up. He unlocks his room and flops in the chair, not ready to sleep. He stares up at the peeling paint on the ceiling. It creaks with two pairs of feet in the room above.

Jannah and Finn. The footsteps move around the room, and they stop near the bed. Poe doesn’t hear them moving again. So he resigns himself to the long flight back to Ajan Kloss, and from there, the long life of a lonesome bachelor uncle to Finn and Jannah’s dozen beautiful children.

 _No._ He got like this with Rey, and he got like this with Rose. They’re just sitting together: he’d definitely hear if it was anything more than that. This is the part where he’d usually get in an X-Wing, and blow up a few targets on the training course. Then Leia would tell him to get his head out of his ass and start being a better friend. Leia would tell him to make a damn move, if he’s going to get so possessive.

Poe heaves a sigh. He’s tired. He’s more exhausted than he was fighting off eight speeder bikes or sprinting through Vardos with a blaster wound. Tears flood at the corner of his eyes, tickling as they fall into his hairline.

He reaches for his handkerchief, then remembers he gave it away.


	25. Just the Tip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part Four moodboard by [blxcksqvadron](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blxcksqvadron/pseuds/blxcksqvadron):  
> 

Part Four: The Abyss

* * *

Lando and Chewie don’t need help launching the Memory, but Poe hangs around the cockpit anyway. He stays until they’re in hyperspace, when Lando flips on autopilot and suggests Poe get some sleep.

Poe ends up wandering the corridors. He finds Finn alone in the common room, reading the book Poe finished yesterday. Finn looks up when Poe passes by, marking his place and putting the book down.

‘Happy to be up in the stars again?’ Finn asks.

Poe gives him a half-smile: Finn must be able to see he’s restless. ‘Excited to be home soon?’

‘Sure,’ Finn’s eyes slide away. He does that when he’s lying for someone else’s sake.

‘Hey,’ Poe sits opposite him. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t find your people.’

Finn shrugs it off. ‘It’s fine. We knew it was a long shot.’

Poe waits until Finn looks at him, and makes a face: _still._

‘And it’s like Jannah said,’ Finn continues. ‘We have each other.’

‘Oh,’ Poe nods rapidly, figuring it out. ‘Yeah. I’m glad. You two deserve—that’s really great.’

Finn’s expression sharpens into a frown.

‘I mean, you’ve got so much in common,’ Poe’s mouth continues talking, without any input from his brain. ‘She’s perfect for you.’

‘Jannah?’ Finn checks.

‘Jannah?’ Poe repeats. ‘Are you not…?’

Finn laughs. ‘No, we’re not—no.’

‘Oh,’ Poe tries to backtrack. ‘I just thought, with her asking you to dinner…’

Finn pinches the bridge of his nose before sighing. ‘She asked me to meet her family, because she said _I_ felt more like family than _they_ did.’

‘That’s good, though,’ Poe assures him. ‘Right?’

‘Poe, she’s like my sister,’ Finn rolls his eyes. ‘And I’m not her type.’

‘Oh,’ Poe was not present for that conversation, and is insatiably curious about how it went. ‘Oh, what’s… what’s her type?’

‘None of my business, so probably none of yours,’ Finn chuckles.

Poe has to marvel for a second that not everyone in the galaxy falls in love with Finn.

‘Have you got a type?’ Finn asks.

Poe frowns. He wonders if this is one of those dreams, where he and Finn end up talking about the things they never talk about, tangled and touching and always a moment away from kissing when he wakes up.

He doesn’t wake up.

‘Uh, type?’ he repeats.

‘Yeah, you know,’ Finn shrugs. ‘Like that leather guy.’

‘The _what?’_ Poe stares. _‘Leather guy?’_

‘From the market,’ Finn says. ‘Is that what you’re into?’

Tall, dark-eyed, curious? Yeah, that’s what Poe’s into. ‘All he did was give me a tip!’

Finn’s eyebrows shoot up. _‘Oh.’_

‘Come on, I _mean_ it was part of the mission.’

‘You left with him that night,’ Finn reminds him.

‘To talk!’ Poe insists. ‘Wait, how do you know?’

‘I saw you,’ Finn shrugs.

Finn had been deep in conversation with Rose and Chewie. But apparently he’d watched Poe flirting, leading the stranger out of the bar. ‘Then you saw me back at the Memory, fast asleep.’

‘I got back late,’ Finn says. ‘I figured you’d already…’

‘Already what?’ Poe folds his arms.

Finn cocks his head. ‘Got your tip.’

 _‘You’re_ the one who got back late,’ Poe points out.

‘You’re the one who collects tips on missions,’ Finn retorts.

‘Wow,’ Poe says, because he can’t argue with that. ‘Okay.’

There were missions they did with Chewie and Klaud where Poe couldn’t stand the longing anymore. Where guys would notice Poe, and Poe would notice them right back.

‘Okay,’ Finn echoes.

‘Have you got a problem with my sex life?’ Poe asks. He’s just indignant enough that he can ask it out loud.

‘Nope,’ Finn says quickly.

‘You really sound like you do.’

‘I just asked what your type was.’

‘Well, what would you say?’ Poe narrows his eyes. ‘From your observation?’

Finn exhales through his nose. ‘Mysterious. Casual. Short-term.’

‘You know what?’ Poe points a finger at him. ‘You’re nosy.’

‘You’re the one fishing for clues about me and Jannah,’ Finn retorts. ‘And Rey. And Rose.’

‘What, all three?’

 _‘None_ of the three,’ Finn picks up his book. ‘Because _you_ haven’t asked about _my_ type.’

He gets up, and storms off down the corridor. Poe runs his hands through his hair, inhaling roughly. He lays his forehead on the table and sighs. He considers just waiting until sleep takes him here in the common room.

But he goes back to their cabin. The lights are on and the shower’s running. Poe shoos BB—the porg, not the droid—off his pillow and crawls into his bed. When Finn gets out of the shower, Poe pretends to be asleep. It’s almost true, anyway.

*

Poe’s bad mood is still there in the morning, so he takes it over to the Falcon. He figures Keeo won’t care either way, and he has questions.

‘You’ve got every trooper from Project Resurrection on there, right?’

‘Unless the First Order have snatched some fresh meat since you jammed a database into me,’ Keeo replies.

‘Please don’t phrase either of those things in those ways,’ Poe mutters.

‘You will ask questions to which you do not like the answers,’ Keeo says.

Poe bares his teeth in annoyance. Keeo’s head tilts laconically.

‘Are there other troopers without chain codes?’ Poe asks.

‘Yes.’

‘Okay, can you show me one?’ Poe prompts. Keeo reaches over to connect his scomp link to the holoprojector. The face of a trooper flashes to life: a blonde girl, fifteen years old, Batch Twenty. Joined FT corps.

‘Another?’

A young man with a narrow face from Batch Five, now SG corps. Poe goes through a few: none of them seem to have anything in common with Finn.

‘What is it about you all?’ Poe asks. ‘Why don’t you have chain codes?'

‘I imagine it is a secret,’ Keeo supplies.

‘Thank you, yes, very helpful,’ Poe growls.

He rubs his hand over his mouth in frustration. ‘What was that note that Finn had on his file?’

‘Reassigned to mop duties?’ Keeo suggests.

Poe glares at him. ‘The medical note that didn’t match anyone in Company 77.’

‘E-75: 12,’ Keeo rattles off.

‘Do any other trooper files have that on there?’

Keeo pauses. ‘No.’

‘Damn it,’ Poe sighs. ‘What does it mean?’

‘That code does not correspond to any First Order personnel,’ Keeo answers.

‘Can you show me that section on someone else’s file?’ Poe remembers to be specific. ‘One of the ones without a chain code.’

Keeo takes a moment. Then a medical file appears.

‘This one’s E-70: 15!’ Poe punches the air. ‘But what’s the difference in the numbers?’

‘This information is not in the data you stole,’ Keeo answers.

‘Fine,’ Poe snaps. ‘Just keep showing ‘em.’

All of the codes start with E, but the subsequent digits vary. The narrow-faced man has an E-75 code as well, but his ends in 8.

‘Filter by E-75s,’ he says. Keeo displays them. The oldest is E-75: 1, and the youngest is E-75: 16. Most of them were killed in action. In the middle is E-75: 12, with a picture of Finn as a child. Poe stares at it: he can see how Finn grew into his face. There’s the stubborn set to his jaw, and the crinkle his brow gets when he’s worried.

‘There you are,’ the real Finn leans into the doorframe of the main hold. ‘You good?’

‘Yeah,’ Poe shuts down the holoprojector. Keeo stares at him for a few seconds before removing his scomp link.

‘About last night…’ Poe starts.

‘I was tired, and I took it out on you,’ Finn shakes his head. ‘Can we forget it?’

Poe doesn’t think he will ever be able to forget the burning question: _what’s your type, Finn?_

But he’s avoided it all night and all morning, and he can keep doing that forever if that’s what Finn wants. ‘Already forgotten, buddy.’

Finn relaxes. ‘I’m glad. You wanna come back to the Memory?’

‘Sure,’ Poe stands up.

‘What’s up, Keeo?’ Finn asks.

‘Every day I try to concoct a means within my restrictions to fly these ships into a sun,’ Keeo answers.

‘Okay, keep at it, I guess,’ Finn gives him a thumbs up.


	26. The Galactic Basic Equivalent of Yeet

When Poe heads into the shower, Finn is propped on the bed reading the last few chapters of his book.

For a minute, Poe stands under the hot water and savours it. He combs his fingers through his hair. It feels like the hotel left a coating of grime. He fumbles for the shampoo, eyes closed, then lets out an _‘ugh.’_ It’s still in his pack.

The pack’s just on the other side of the ‘fresher door. He darts out of the shower without shutting the water off, leaving a wet trail on the floor. Most of him is still in the ‘fresher, so if Finn looks up he won’t be scandalised. Poe rummages quickly for the bottle and glances in Fin’s direction.

Finn has not looked up. Finn is stretched out on the bunk, head tilted back, book discarded. His hand slides down his torso as he tilts his hips up, snagging in the waistband of his pants.

Poe ducks back into the ‘fresher, heart pounding. This is okay. This is fine. Poe’s usually doing the same thing in the shower, anyway. Finn couldn’t have heard him over the rushing water. Poe’s walked in on plenty of crewmates in the barracks: it happens. From the way Finn’s described the Stormtrooper living situation, it’s happened to him too. No need to be weird about it.

Poe is being weird about it. He considers it the whole time he’s washing his hair. He wasn’t planning to jerk off, but the longer he takes in here, the more Finn can enjoy himself—and that’s practically selfless of Poe. He’s been hard since he laid eyes on Finn writhing. Poe‘s body feels like a live wire, sparking at nothing. Overcharged.

He takes a generous helping of soap in his hands. At first he just works the lather everywhere, and maybe he imagines it’s not his own hands. His cock twitches in his grip when he finally gets there. A few strokes, quick and light: he’s done this plenty of times. Never with the memory of Finn so fresh in his mind, though: it occurs to Poe the water might be drowning out the sound of Finn’s arousal as much as his own.

There’s nothing he’d like better than to climb wet and naked into Finn’s lap. He slides a slick finger into himself and can’t suppress a groan. He braces his shoulders against the wall. It’s not an easy angle, no matter how badly he wants more. His thrusts are shallow, but fast, the hand on his cock almost an afterthought. Biting back a whimper, he tastes the sudden tang of blood on his lip. When the orgasm rips through him, his whole body buckles, leaving him gasping for air.

He sinks to his knees, shaking too much to stay upright. He ends up with his head bowed, rivulets of water running over his cheeks and stinging when they find his mouth. His hair hangs in a halo around his face as he tries to catch his breath.

It takes a minute. He plants his palms on the floor, watching the droplets dance on the backs of his hands. A deep breath. Lick the blood from his lip. Get up. He gives himself another quick lather and a rinse, shutting off the water the moment he’s done.

The towel is a welcome place to bury his face. He takes a while rubbing his hair dry, working his way down his body until he’s at least not dripping. Then he wraps the towel around his waist, and if it’s sitting a little lower than usual that’s nobody’s business.

When he emerges from the ‘fresher, Finn is engrossed in his book. But his pose has slackened, and there is a subtle glow about him. Poe wonders how many times he didn’t notice it.

‘Enjoying the books?’ Poe asks, stepping into his pants. His voice is unexpectedly hoarse. Maybe Finn won’t notice either.

‘They’re amazing,’ Finn marks his place and puts it to one side. ‘Don’t want it to end yet.’

Well, he’s clearly found a few ways to forestall it. Poe grins at the thought. Finn stretches, rolling onto his side to face Poe. Poe’s still half-dressed. He tries not to rush with his shirt.

‘Did you get to read much?’ Poe asks. ‘On Starkiller?’

‘A bit,’ Finn wiggles his hand. ‘Manuals, a lot of the time. A few stories about the glory days of the Empire. Other cadets would write in the margins.’

‘Anything interesting?’

‘Dirty notes, mostly,’ Finn pulls a face. ‘Who’d slept with who, that kind of thing.’

‘Huh,’ Poe says. ‘Did that happen a lot?’

Finn shrugs. ‘When they could get away with it. Didn’t really make for a gripping read.’

Poe frowns. Of all the ways for their conversation to turn towards sex, this isn’t how he expected it. ‘There were stolen holos, right?’

‘Yeah,’ Finn recalls. ‘Mostly corrupted, they’d been passed around so much. Any of us on board could still quote that sitcom by heart.’

‘That… sounds sort of like a nightmare, honestly,’ Poe laughs.

‘Yep,’ Finn agrees. ‘It probably wasn’t even funny.’

‘Okay,’ Poe says. ‘When we get back, I’m gonna show you the funniest holos I can find.’

‘Looking forward to it,’ Finn’s smile is warm. He starts gathering his things for a shower, and Poe sprawls on the bed. The ‘fresher door shuts and the water starts.

BB-8 trundles in, chirping a greeting.

‘Good timing, buddy,’ Poe reaches out to pet his head. ‘Would’ve been awkward if you came by five minutes ago.’

BB replies with a joke. Poe cranes his neck to peer at the droid.

‘You _know?’_

An innocent beep.

‘How often has it _not been a good time?’_

BB warbles.

‘I’m not asking him!’ Poe hisses. ‘You can’t just tell me things like that.’

Another squeak.  
‘You’re a whole ball full of mischief,’ Poe scolds him. ‘I should make you sleep in the maintenance hold.’

Poe doesn’t, because he’s soft. His hand is still resting on BB’s head when Finn comes out of the shower. BB and Finn greet each other quietly, and Poe can’t help but smile.

*

‘Poe!’ Finn cries out.

It’s not one of his bloodcurdling yells, but there’s enough panic that Poe jogs through the Memory to find him. Finn is lying on his side in a storage room, grimacing.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘It’s BB,’ Finn says, and when Poe’s face drops in horror, he adds: ‘The porg.’

Poe tries not to look too relieved. ‘What’s wrong with him?’

‘He’s stuck,’ Finn explains. ‘He got between the crates and I can’t reach.’

Sure enough, there is a pathetic squeaking. Finn pivots his shoulder in the gap.

‘Why don’t we get BB-8 to do it?’ Poe asks. ‘The droid.’

‘He only trusts you and me,’ Finn pulls his arm free, rubbing his wrist and frowning.

‘Right,’ Poe says. He peers between the wall and the crates. ‘Isn’t that Chubby?’

‘Chubby has speckles,’ Finn says reproachfully.

‘They’re all chubby,’ Poe points out. ‘That’s the problem.’

‘Can you get in there?’ Finn asks. ‘You’re littler than me.’

Poe would resent that remark, but with the time he’s spent fantasising about Finn’s shoulders, he probably deserves it. He turns sideways and wriggles his arm in as far as it will go. No porg. Grunting, he twists to extend a bit further: his elbow pops. Half his chest is now jammed between the wall and the crates, his neck craned away so he can’t see what he’s doing.

‘Come on, BB,’ Poe makes a kissy noise. He beckons with his fingers.

BB cheeps loudly, from a bit further away. Poe sighs.

‘I’m not gonna fit any further,’ he tells Finn. Can you push the crates a bit?’

‘Sure,’ Finn gets in behind him. His hips are right next to Poe’s as he crams himself into the gap, back against the wall and forearms shoving the crates. The crates shift with a grinding noise, and Poe’s face is no longer in Finn’s armpit.

‘Good?’ Finn asks.

‘Yeah,’ Poe turns his head to look for BB. ‘Just warn me if you need to let go.’

‘I got you,’ Finn says. He huffs, and frees up another inch of space.

‘Ugh, he’s hiding round the corner,’ Poe groans. ‘Have you got anything I can lure him out with?’

’There’s a snack bar in my pocket,’ Finn suggests. Poe has to reach, blindly, for Finn’s hip, and send a probing hand into the pocket until he feels crinkling. He fishes out the bar and is briefly, immensely glad that Finn can’t see his face.

‘Okay, just let me…’ he transfers the snack to his other hand and tears open the wrapping with his teeth. Then he pushes the bar out as far as it will go, and waves it toward the corner. A woebegone face appears.

‘Hey, little guy,’ Poe coos. ‘You hungry?’

BB shrieks, and Poe cringes.

‘You gotta come over and get it…’ Poe cajoles the creature. BB starts hopping closer, cautiously.

‘Are you gonna lure him the whole way out?’ Finn sounds strained.

‘I’m gonna grab him before my ribs crack,’ Poe says.

‘I won’t let you get squished,’ Finn promises.

‘Work with me, you little fluffball,’ Poe keeps his tone sweet. BB is nearly in reach. Poe puts the snack on the floor, and BB approaches it. When he’s close enough, Poe’s hand lashes out, and he gets the porgling enclosed in his fingers.

‘Gotcha!’

BB begins squeaking unhappily, tiny wings fluttering. Poe squirms his way back, but Finn is blocking the way.

‘How’re we gonna…?’ Poe asks.

Finn shoves, and the gap widens. It’s still not enough to squeeze past Finn.

‘Throw him over,’ Finn suggests.

‘Will he be okay?’

‘He can fly,’ Finn reminds him.

‘That better be true, little guy,’ Poe says, and launches the porg out of the storage hold. BB’s stream of indignant cheeping suggests Poe’s aim is true.

‘Grab onto me,’ Finn instructs him. Poe loops a hand around Finn’s elbow.’Get as close as you can, and I’m gonna let go.’

‘On three?’ Poe asks.

‘You count.’

‘One… two…’ Poe gets ready to be crushed by crates in a desperate porg rescue mission. ‘Three!’

Finn yanks him sideways, and both of them tumble out as the crates rattle back into place. They’re laughing and breathless, Poe damp with sweat and covered in porg fluff.

Poe realises that most of his soft landing was owed to the fact that he fell on top of Finn. He looks down. Their faces are an inch apart.

‘Hi,’ he murmurs, and his smile probably makes him look like an idiot.

Finn’s expression softens. Poe can feel Finn’s chest rising and falling with his breath.

‘Hi,’ Finn echoes. He gives Poe a curious look—that one with the dimple. His hand comes up to cradle the side of Poe’s face. His thumb brushes back and forth over Poe’s cheek.

Poe stares at Finn’s mouth, at the flash of pink when his tongue darts out briefly. Finn’s head tilts. His fingers curl slightly at Poe’s jaw, thumb coming to the corner of Poe’s mouth. The movement nudges Poe’s lips apart. Poe can’t stop his eyes from fluttering shut.

_‘FINN!’_

They both startle so hard their foreheads crack together. Poe scrambles off Finn as footsteps approach down the corridor, and Finn gets himself upright.

‘Rose!’ Finn calls. ‘What do you want?!’

He cringes at the sharpness in his own voice.

‘There’s a message for you,’ she shouts. ‘Where _are_ you?’

‘Can it wait?’ Finn clenches his jaw in annoyance. He reaches out to briefly squeeze Poe’s hand as they hear Rose getting closer.

‘It’s important,’ Rose finds the storage room. They must look ridiculous: Finn breathless, Poe flushed, both of them rumpled and frustrated. ‘What were you two doing?’

‘BB—‘

‘—the porg—‘

‘—trapped—‘

‘—crates—‘

‘—he helped—‘

‘—yeah.’

Rose looks down. BB is standing at her feet. ‘He looks fine.’

‘Because _Poe rescued him,’_ Finn says.

‘I did,’ Poe agrees. ‘I did that.’

‘So what’s the message?’ Finn asks.

‘You’d better come to the Falcon,’ Rose says. ‘I think it’s about your family.’


	27. We Do Not Talk About the Kessel Run

‘It’s an answer to the call we put out, back before Vardos,’ Rose explains. ‘A place is reporting missing children.’

The three of them are gathered in the Falcon’s cockpit. Rose hands them each a headset.

‘What makes you think it’s related to Finn?’ Poe asks.

‘Just listen,’ she suggests. ‘It’s audio only, and I can’t get the file to copy.’

The voice crackles through the receiver, speaking Basic in a heavy accent.

_‘This is a message from the Guardians of the Whills.’_

Poe’s face scrunches in confusion, but Rose holds a finger to her lips.

_‘We are responding to your call about the children taken by the First Order. A shuttle of our foundlings was taken many years ago. Please help us. We think you may have one who is still lost.’_

Finn’s eyes lock with Rose’s, then Poe’s. Poe feels cold all over.

_‘Our Sanctuary can be found in the Vaquellian Wake.’_

‘What?’ Poe mutters in surprise. Rose shakes her head, frowning.

_‘The Force will guide you.’_

There’s a long hum of static, and the message cuts off.

‘What are the Guardians of the Whills?’ Finn asks.

‘Who the hell claims to live in the Vaquellian Wake?’ Poe adds.

‘How did they know to hail the Falcon, and how did they do it while we were in hyperspace?’ Rose adds. ‘There’s something _really weird_ about this.’

‘One who is still lost…’ Finn repeats. ‘You think that’s me?’

‘Who else could it be?’ Rose pulls a face. ‘I know it’s fishy. But whoever sent it knew how to get our attention.’

‘Telling us to go to the Wake?’ Poe scowls. ‘It has to be a trap.’

‘What’s the Wake?’ Finn asks.

‘The Vaquellian system had a war two hundred years ago,’ Rose explains. ‘One side triggered their sun to go nova. Every world shattered, and now it’s just asteroids spiralling closer and faster toward a neutron star. All that’s left is the Wake.’

’At least The Hive had atmosphere,’ Poe says. ‘Nothing lives in the Wake. You couldn’t fly a shuttle of kids in or out of it.’

‘Could you fly the Falcon into it?’ Finn asks.

‘It’s a maelstrom,’ Poe explains. ‘Any ship would get ripped apart.’

‘I thought you could fly anything,’ Finn retorts.

Poe holds a warning finger up at him. Finn raises his eyebrows as a challenge, and Poe scowls.

‘So what do they claim to be guarding there?’ Finn asks Rose.

‘Whills…?’ Rose shrugs. ‘Never heard of them.’

‘They’re, uh, monks,’ Poe tries to recall. ‘The Empire wiped them out.’

‘Or not,’ Finn says.

‘Or not,’ Poe concedes. ‘They weren’t Jedi or Church of the Force, but they used the Force.’

‘But they’re not Sith?’ Finn confirms.

‘Nah, they were good guys,’ Poe racks his brain for more war history. ‘I think they took care of kyber.’

‘And foundlings, apparently,’ Rose adds.

They both look at Finn. There’s a worried crinkle in his brow—and now Poe knows Finn’s had it all his life.

‘This is your call,’ Poe says gently. ‘If you want to check it out, we check it out.’

Finn sighs. ‘Rose, can you play it again?’

She does. Finn’s face is drawn in concentration.

‘That last part,’ he says. ‘The Force will guide us.’

‘Yeah?’ Poe prompts.

‘I’m gonna try to…’ Finn waves a hand in the air. ‘Sense it. If it’s the right thing to do.’

‘Oh…’ Rose steps back. ‘Like, right now?’

Finn relaxes, patting her on the shoulder. ‘Not right now. Somewhere quiet.’

‘Oh, good,’ Keeo speaks suddenly from the corridor. Rose yelps in shock. ‘I was just planning on practising the kloo horn.’

*

‘Chewie,’ Poe sticks his head into the Memory’s cockpit. Rose squeezes in after him. ‘How do you feel about a trip to the Vaquellian Wake?’

Chewie and Lando burst out laughing. After a minute of this, Chewie reaches over to stabilise himself on Lando’s shoulder while Lando slaps his thigh.

‘You’re not joking,’ Lando stares at his face.

‘I’m not,’ Poe confirms.

’We got a lead on Finn’s people,’ Rose says.

‘In the Wake?’ Lando scowls. ‘So, they’re dead?’

‘Maybe,’ Poe shrugs. ‘Maybe not.’

‘Or maybe someone realised they could take out the Resistance’s leadership by luring them into certain doom,’ Lando points out. ‘The only ships that fly into the Wake become _part_ of the Wake.’

‘Duly noted,’ Poe says. ‘Chewie, could we do it?’

Chewie makes an ambivalent noise.

Lando scowls. ‘We do not talk about the Kessel Run.’

Chewie continues to talk about the Kessel Run.

‘That was _luck,’_ Lando points at Chewie. ‘And the Falcon wasn’t ninety years old.’

‘Rey did rebuild the hyperdrive,’ Rose points out.

Chewie agrees she did a good job.

‘I could tune it up a bit,’ Rose suggests.

‘You’re crazy,’ Lando says. ‘Where’s Finn? He’s the cautious one.’

‘Finn’s communing with the Force to see if this is a good idea,’ Rose says.

‘I’ll give you this one for free,’ Lando scowls. ‘It isn’t.’

BB-8 chirps for Poe’s attention.

‘Excuse me,’ Poe says, while Chewie and Lando argue some more. He follows his droid to the cabin.

He finds Finn standing barefoot, stretching out his limbs.

‘So…’ Poe doesn’t know how to begin. ‘Did you get something?’

‘It’s hard to make sense of it,’ Finn pulls a face. ‘So I talked to Rey.’

‘How did you…‘ Poe frowns. ‘Wait, with the Force?’

‘Yeah,’ Finn says. ’Remember I said we were practicing?’

‘I didn’t know you could do it in hyperspace,’ Poe says. ‘Or at all.’

‘Hyperspace doesn’t really make a difference,’ Finn explains. ‘It’s just kind of a… connection.’

‘Right,’ Poe tries to get his head around it. ‘What did she say?’

‘She senses the same as me. The path leading to the Sanctuary is clear, but after that… it’s difficult to see.’

‘Difficult to see like the Dark Side?’

‘It’s, uh…’ Finn tugs on his earlobe as he searches for an explanation. ‘It’s not _dark._ I see it like a trail in the woods. It’s easy to follow, then it gets narrower, and then it’s just... gaps between the trees. No path.’

‘Does that mean we’ll get lost?’ Poe asks.

‘Maybe,’ Finn says. ‘But I know I have to try. Rey thinks so too.’

Poe recognises that conviction in his voice. If Finn says this is what they have to do, then it’s what they have to do.

*

Jannah shows up as they’re packing.

‘So, when are we leaving?’ she asks.

Finn sighs. He goes to Jannah, taking both her hands in his. Poe tries to back so far into the closet he almost sits on Little Rose—the porg, not the human.

‘Jannah,’ Finn’s voice is heavy. ‘You should keep going to Ajan Kloss.’

‘What?’ Jannah raises her eyebrows, nonplussed.

‘You fought like hell for everyone in the Company finding their people,’ Finn reminds her. ’I made you a promise. You get to go home.’

‘Finn, _this_ is home,’ she steps away from him. ‘ _You’re_ family.’

‘If we all get ripped apart in the maelstrom, someone’s gotta lead the Resistance,’ Finn says.

‘I’m sure someone will step up,’ Jannah folds her arms.

‘I don’t want to put any of you in danger,’ Finn says. ‘I can’t.’

‘Finn, we’re in the Resistance,’ Poe comes over. ‘We’re always in danger.’

‘I think…’ Finn bites his lip. ‘This is something I have to do alone.’

Poe must be imagining the momentary chill, because he’s damn sure it’s not the Force. He puts a reassuring hand on Finn’s chest.

‘Alone, with friends?’ he suggests. Jannah gives a stern nod of agreement.

Finn lays his hand over Poe’s. ‘Okay. Alone with friends.’

*

This is how Finn, Rose, Jannah, Chewie, BB-8, and Poe all end up on Operation Don’t Get Killed In The Wake. They load onto the Falcon while Lando promises to see the remaining Company, Toast, Omid, and the porglings safely home.

‘Good news, Keeo,’ Poe says. ‘We’re going somewhere horrible where we’ll probably die.’

‘Everywhere is horrible, but you never seem to die,’ Keeo grumbles.

‘Go interface with the ship, will you?’ Poe suggests. ‘The nav system’s going to need all the help she can get.’

‘Chewie, you’re really old,’ Finn notes.

Chewie retorts that they’re all really young.

‘What was the Vaquellian war about?’ Finn asks.

Chewie doesn’t remember off the top of his head, but he makes an educated guess.

‘Huh,’ Rose rolls her eyes. ‘Sooner or later, it’s always about resources.’

‘Kyber’s the stuff they put in lightsabers, right?’ Poe checks.

‘Yeah, makes them go _vworrrrr,’_ Finn waves an arm to demonstrate.

‘And it powered the Death Star,’ Jannah adds.

Chewie grouches about the old Jedi and lightsabers.

‘So it wasn’t like now, one lightsaber per Jedi,’ Finn clarifies. ‘They burned through them like blasters?’

Chewie suggests this is probably why Vaquellia went to war.

‘So it could be the Guardians were protecting kyber in the Vaquellian system?’ Poe speculates. ‘And that they’re still there?’

’Wouldn’t it be a perfect place to hide?’ Finn suggests. ‘Where everybody knows not to look?’

‘It’s either very clever, or very stupid,’ Jannah agrees.

‘Personally, I think very stupid,’ Keeo says. ‘But you’ll all be too dead to find out.’

BB beeps anxiously. Poe’s face falls, and he bends to one knee.

‘Oh, buddy, he was kidding,’ Poe reassures him. ‘We’re gonna do our best not to die.’

‘Hey,’ Finn calls BB over. He crouches down to pet the side of the droid’s head. ‘I’ll take care of him. We’ll use the Force.’

This must be when everything that’s happened in the day catches up with Poe. That’s why he gets a little misty-eyed, and needs a moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who loves Keeo: [please enjoy the memes blxcksqvadron and I send back and forth to each other.](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/post/190901933917/an-incredibly-uncool-thing-that-blvcksqvadron-and)


	28. Two Minutes and Seventy Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about astrophysics, please entertain the idea that all of this is as plausible as space wizards :)

The Falcon splits off from the Memory, dropping out of hyperspace. Poe guides them into one of the Outer Rim slipstreams that bypasses Ajan Kloss. It takes half a day of flying to get the Falcon aligned for a safe jump. Chewie plots a course that takes them through the Westward Arm, dotted with kyber mines. Rookie pilots in the region have been known to overcompensate for the spinward drag and get drawn into the Wake. At least that means it’s easy to do on purpose.

Chewie warns them that getting into the maelstrom isn’t a problem. Getting out is what nobody’s ever done before.

‘How’d you do it in the Kessel Run?’ Poe asks.

Chewie tells the story.

‘Okay, we’re not doing that. _Raw_ coaxium?!’

Chewie confirms.

‘Well, we better hope Finn’s getting good with the Force,’ Poe sighs.

Finn is. Once the Falcon’s on autopilot, Poe heads back to the cabin to catch a nap. Finn is cross-legged on the opposite bunk, head tilted back to rest against the wall. Poe figures it’s Force stuff, and curls up to sleep in his own bunk.

When he wakes, his mouth is dry and his arm has a cramp. Finn offers him some water and tells him three hours have passed.

‘Did I snore?’ Poe asks.

‘A bit,’ Finn smiles.

‘Sorry if I interrupted your…’

‘Meditating?’

‘Yeah.’

‘It’s fine,’ Finn says. ‘I tried talking to Rey again.’

‘How’d it go?’

‘It’s… difficult,’ Finn squints as he searches for an analogy. ‘Sometimes it’s more like hearing someone talking in the next room. You get the tone, but not the words.’

‘Right,’ Poe nods, taking another sip of water. The nap feels like it was both two minutes and seventy years long.

‘She’s been researching the Guardians,’ Finn explains. ‘They took in foundlings and trained them.’

‘Like Jedi?’ Poe sits up.

‘Not as… _Jedi_ as Jedi,’ Finn shakes his head in confusion. ‘From what we can tell, they didn’t remove Force-sensitive children from their families. Foundlings are orphans, and the Guardians trained them to understand the Force.’

Poe looks Finn in the eye. ‘So, you think…’

‘Maybe,’ Finn swallows, looking down. ‘Does it make sense?’

‘Makes as much sense as the call we got,’ Poe says. ‘Would it explain the chain code thing?’

‘I’m wondering,’ Finn leans on the wall beside Poe’s bed, folding his arms. ‘There’s something else Rey found in Luke’s notes. The Jedi Order kept a list of Force-sensitive children, and the Empire tried to steal it.’

Poe grimaces, and Finn mirrors the expression.

‘If that’s true,’ Finn continues. ‘The Guardians might do anything to keep the new foundlings a secret. Including scrubbing our chain codes.’

‘And hiding them in the Wake,’ Poe realises.

A hesitant smile breaks across Finn’s face. ‘What do you think?’

‘I think you probably know better than I do,’ Poe says. ‘Do you think any of the other kids without chain codes come from the same place?’

‘It might explain the E-numbers thing,’ Finn says.

‘You’ve looked it up?’ Poe asks.

‘When did _you_ look it up?’ Finn retorts.

‘A few days ago,’ Poe realises how weird it is as he says it. ’Sorry. I wanted to help.’

‘I know,’ Finn sighs. ‘I tried cross-referencing everything. All Keeo ever says is _You Come From The First Order,_ but there are patterns.’

‘The older kids have lower numbers at the end, right? It’s roughly by age.’

‘Yeah, although an E-75: 1 is older than the E-70: 1,’ Finn says. ‘But the ages in the E-70 band are linear.’

‘Could they all have been stolen at the same time?’

‘Doubt it,’ Finn chews the inside of his lip. ’The First Order sometimes takes newborns, but even then, the oldest in some bands would’ve been teenagers—too old to indoctrinate.’

Poe’s jaw clenches at _newborns._ They’ve seen cases of it: it doesn’t get any easier. He’s not sure he’d want it to get easier. ‘I doubt they did multiple raids on the same people.’

‘I doubt it too,’ Finn says. ‘I’ve been thinking maybe it’s something to do with Force sensitivity, and E-75 is a rating.’

‘A rating of your… Force-ness?’ Poe asks.

‘Yeah, like maybe at 70 you get funny dreams and 80 you can throw rocks around.’

‘That’s very… methodical, for the Force,’ Poe says. ‘It usually sounds like it’s vaguer than that.’

‘Trust the First Order to rank and itemise everything, right?’ Finn shakes his head. ‘It’s just a theory.’

‘If we’re lucky, we can ask the Guardians,’ Poe says.

‘We don’t need luck,’ Finn smiles at him. ‘We’ve got you.’

Poe ducks his head for a moment, overwhelmed. Finn reaches over and squeezes his shoulder, and Poe leans into it.

‘I hope this is it, buddy,’ Poe says, quietly. ‘I want this to work out for you.’

‘I hope so too,’ Finn sighs. He stays a moment longer, then he pats Poe’s shoulder and heads out to the main hold.

Poe stays on the bunk, drawing his knees up to his chest. He reminds himself this is what he’s good at. He can fly anything, so he can fly anywhere. He can take Finn home, even if home is a secret cult of Force monks hurtling toward a neutron star. And Finn can finally grow into himself and embrace the power he‘s always had. Poe’s just the guy who helped along the way.

Chewie was right. Getting out is going to be the problem.

*

They make the jump.

When the Falcon bursts out of hyperspace, Poe can’t tell it’s happened for a moment. Everything is still bright and blurry in front of them, moving too fast to make sense.

‘Chewie!’ Poe’s fingers dance over the controls. ‘I thought you said we’d pop out at a safe distance!’

Chewie complains that it looked like a safe distance on the chart. He’s slamming toggles, and they get the Falcon into the slipstream. It’s a current of dust, funnelling them into the rim of the Wake.

A bang. Poe jolts forward and almost hits his head on the console, while Chewie frantically dials up the deflector shields. The Falcon tips out of the stream, and there’s a clattering of rocks hitting the ship’s underside.

‘What is that?!’ Jannah calls.

‘Asteroid!’ Poe answers, straightening the ship again. ‘Plenty more coming!’

Chewie explains that as long as they stay in the flow of the Wake, they’re moving in the same direction as the debris. The Falcon is narrow, and what manages to hit them won’t hit as hard as a head-on collision.

‘Great theory!’ Poe tilts them and a rock zooms overhead. ‘Would love for it to work.’

The dust is like a cloud of silver. It’s impossible to see more than a kilometre ahead. The throttle is low, but the ship is being pulled rapidly along in the current.

‘This is only gonna get faster,’ Poe calls out a warning. ‘And we’ve got no visibility.’

‘Anything we can do?’ Finn gets in the passenger seat as another asteroid knocks them.

‘Be real handy if the Force was guiding us!’ Poe grinds his teeth. ‘Rose, we need you and BB-8 in the engineering bay—patch anything that breaks.’

‘On it!’ she calls, BB-8 following hot on her heels.

‘What if we blasted the rocks apart?’ Jannah suggests.

Chewie agrees: Jannah runs to the cannons.

‘In position,’ she reports through the headset.

’Try to blow them off course, rather than shatter them,’ Poe suggests. ‘Finn, where are we going?’

Finn makes an uncertain noise. ‘Ahead.’

‘We’re circling a whole system,’ Poe reminds him. ‘It’s gonna get faster, rockier, and a whole lot worse.’

As if to emphasise his point, a bolt of lightning jumps between two asteroids. Chewie veers out of the way, and debris rains down on them. The Falcon shudders.

‘High deflector damage!’ Rose warns them through the headset. ‘It can’t recharge with all the particles hitting us.’

‘How far are we from the vortex?’ Finn asks.

Still on the edge, Chewie tells him, but the stream runs in spirals.

‘The ship’s going to fall apart before we’re halfway in,’ Poe warns them. ‘We’ve got maybe one more loop before we can’t jump out.’

‘If the shields hold!’ Rose reminds everyone. ‘Every sideways turn is going to batter us.’

The cannon fires, and Jannah shouts. A meteor goes barreling past them.

‘Good work, Jannah!’ Poe swerves around the debris, nudging them back into the flow. ‘But it’s gonna be pieces of planet soon.’

Chewie hollers, one hand on the throttle. He’s ready to jump them out.

Poe shakes his head. ‘Finn, any time you—‘

‘Go in,’ Finn says.

_‘What?’_ Poe glances over his shoulder, and Chewie hoots. Poe looks back in time to dodge a lumbering asteroid dead ahead. ‘In, _where?’_

‘Cut across the spiral,’ Finn leans forward, demonstrating the movement with his hand. ‘Straight towards the star.’

‘The _neutron_ star?’ Rose asks over the comms.

‘Finn, it’s a gravity well,’ Poe tries to explain. ‘It’s already sucking us in!’

‘You asked the way,’ Finn’s voice is steady. ‘That’s the way.’

Poe starts angling nearer to the edge of their stream. The Falcon’s engines whine, and the hail of dust outside goes from roaring to deafening.

Chewie yells unhappily.

‘Deflectors critical!’ Rose calls.

‘I can’t see a damn thing,’ Jannah tells them. ‘If we get hit, we’re toast.’

‘Finn…’ Poe’s clutching the yoke, holding steady. ‘We can’t.’

‘Poe,’ Finn’s hand covers Poe’s on the yoke. _‘You can fly anything.’_

Finn’s grip tightens. He jerks the yoke, and the Falcon plummets into the vortex.


	29. A Bouncing Starfighter

The Falcon spins out of control. Everyone is screaming through the headsets. Alerts flash too fast to read.

The only thing that feels real is Finn’s hand, guiding Poe’s grip on the yoke. Poe’s instincts clamour at him to pull away, get them back into the stream, or if they can, break free of the Wake altogether. The ship is tumbling through debris and Poe can’t be certain which way is out, but he has to do _something._

‘Poe.’

Finn’s fingers slide between his. Poe’s palms are clammy on the yoke.

‘Move with me, okay?’ Finn asks gently. Poe tastes blood: he realises he’s biting his lip.

‘Get our thrusters working,’ Finn instructs him. Poe steals a frantic glance across the cockpit. Finn assures him: ‘Chewie’s got the shields.’

Chewie confirms, talking to Rose through the comms. She reports a lot of damage, but nothing destroyed.

Poe starts to unclench. Finn’s breath ruffles the hair at the back of his neck. Poe reaches for the thruster controls, and gets the ship realigned. They’re drifting sideways, between two swirling streams. Rocks flung loose still surround them: the cannons sound as Jannah destroys one.

‘What’s the plan?’ she asks.

‘You’re not gonna like it,’ Finn tells her. He rubs his thumb along Poe’s: Poe relaxes enough that Finn is able to nudge the Falcon down.

‘I already don’t like it,’ she says.

‘Give us some speed,’ Finn says, in Poe’s ear.

Poe remembers to breathe. ‘How much?’

‘She’s the fastest ship in the galaxy, right?’

Chewie agrees. They power up the throttle, and when Finn squeezes Poe’s hand, they hit it.

The Falcon plunges into darkness. The instruments are still going haywire, so Poe keeps the throttle going and lets Finn guide the yoke. There are only fleeting glimpses of light outside.

‘What is this?’ Poe murmurs.

‘A tunnel,’ Finn explains. ‘We’re in the below.’

Poe leans forward, craning to see out the viewport. Sure enough, the outer arc of the Wake is above them. Finn loops them around an obstacle.

‘I think that was a piece of planet…’ Jannah sounds nauseous.

Chewie says it probably was.

‘Sorry,’ Finn says. ‘We gotta go through the next loop of the stream.’

‘It’s gonna be twice as fast as the last one,’ Poe warns him.

‘We punch in one side and out the other,’ Finn says. ‘It gets us closer to the centre.’

‘Presents a smaller target to any oncoming junk,’ Jannah understands.

‘Assuming the deflectors can take it,’ Rose grumbles.

‘Can you reroute power to one side?’ Poe asks.

‘Sure,’ Rose says. ‘But anything flying off-course—in a maelstrom—is gonna turn us into dust.’

‘Let me worry about that,’ Jannah says.

The next band of the whirlpool is eerie from the outside. The dust is darker, harder to make out. The stream spits asteroids out and sucks them in. Poe recoils in shock when he realises he’s looking at part of a starfighter bouncing past.

‘If you’re waiting for a good window...’ Finn warns. ‘There isn’t gonna be one.’

Poe hits the throttle and they dive into the chaos. The Falcon clangs and something crunches. A pale and uncomfortably familiar piece of debris goes flying into the stream.

‘Was that ours?’

‘Nothing important!’ Rose says.

Chewie protests.

Poe swoops around an obstacle. He’s not taking the risk of looking down and checking the instruments, but his sense of direction tells him they’re not going where Finn pointed. Even trying to cross this stream, the current is tugging the Falcon inwards. He points the ship sideways and gives it a burst of acceleration: they slip into another quiet lane. Hulking rocks meander along, like they’re trying to catch up with the primary flow. Poe weaves between them, keeping the course as smooth as he can while Rose tunes up the engines.

‘Still on track?’ he asks Finn.

’Two more,’ Finn says.

Chewie swears.

‘The shields can’t take another two on that side,’ Rose warns them.

‘Can we flip the ship?’ Jannah asks. ‘Go through upside-down?’

‘Yeah, just let me…’ Poe rolls them over. Chewie adjusts the fields, and resets a few of the instruments.

This one isn’t as bad as the last. Jannah is precise with the cannon, striking the corners of larger objects to send them off-course. Poe stops fighting the current, letting it carry them through the worst parts before an opening appears. He’s not gonna say it out loud, but this would almost be easy in a small fighter.

‘Everyone okay?’ he asks.

’Shield’s almost burned out,’ Rose reports.

Chewie makes a suggestion.

‘How do we plan to get out if we disconnect the hyperdrive?’ Jannah asks.

Poe’s not confident they can get out at all, but he keeps it to himself.

‘We can reboot it if we land somewhere,’ Rose says. ‘But we can’t even land without the shields working.’

‘Any further in, things will be moving too fast to land on,’ Poe warns them. ’It’s a wonder the debris isn’t burning up already.’

It’s strange, Chewie says, that the velocity isn’t making anything combust.

‘Finn, please tell me you can see this Sanctuary and it’s five klicks away,’ Poe begs.

‘Still doesn’t work like that,’ Finn shakes his head. ‘But we’ve got one more stream, then it all… changes.’

‘Changes good?’ Poe winces.

‘Just changes,’ Finn purses his lips. ‘Jannah, can you feel it too?’

A pause. ‘Nothing specific. Just that the way out is through.’

‘We have to trust the Force,’ Rose sighs in frustration.

She can’t see Poe’s face, which is twisted in doubt.

Finn pulls his headset away so the others won’t hear. ‘Can you trust me?’

Poe nods.

‘Okay,’ Finn settles his hand on the yoke again, guiding Poe’s grip. ‘Then let’s go.’

They enter the next loop and the Falcon is smacked by an asteroid. Poe feels the crunching underfoot.

‘Lost the cannon!’ Jannah reports. She’s interrupted by a screech of metal.

‘Jannah, get out of there!’ Finn calls. There’s a distant clanging of a hatch, and Poe feels the dread in his stomach as the gunner’s seat floats into view ahead of them.

‘Jannah!’ Finn shouts, and there are footsteps down the corridor. Jannah arrives in the cockpit, crashing into a hug of relief with Finn.

’Is she okay?!’ Rose yells. She can’t see anything from the engineering bay.

‘She’s here!’ Poe says, and Rose shouts happily. Jannah pats Poe’s shoulder and he tilts his head in acknowledgement, unable to look away from the viewport.

They’re still in the stream. Poe aligns them with the current, at least until Rose can give a sitrep. They’re being carried along faster than the Falcon can fly—faster than any ship can fly.

‘The hyperdrive’s powering the deflectors,’ Rose says. ‘We’ve got enough juice to get out of this stream, provided we don’t take another hit like that.’

Poe loosens his hold on the yoke. ‘Finn?’

Finn wriggles in beside him: really, more on Poe’s lap. If Poe wasn’t very distracted by not exploding and dying, he’d be distracted for other reasons. Finn’s hands bracket Poe’s on the yoke.

‘Keep me steady, yeah?’ Finn asks. Poe rests his chin on Finn’s shoulder so he can still see where they’re going. Chewie makes a comment, and he ignores it.

Finn swoops them up and out of the stream. The Falcon pirouettes, as dainty as an X-Wing, free of the current and into another hollow.

‘I should really teach you to fly this thing,’ Poe murmurs into Finn’s shoulder. ‘You know, properly.’

Finn’s head tilts, so his cheek rests on Poe’s forehead. ‘I’d like that.’

A few of the instruments ping. Poe leans over to squint at them, assuming they’re busted. Chewie fiddles with the fine controls, tapping one of the monitors.

‘What is this?’ Jannah asks. ‘Why is everything so still?’

‘It _looks_ like a stable orbit,’ Poe peers at the readout. ‘Caught between the bands of the whirlpool.’

‘How?’ Rose asks. There’s a crackling noise through her headset, then some pointed banging.

‘Don’t tell me the Force is doing it,’ Poe says.

Finn shrugs. ‘I don’t know what it is, just that it’s here.’

Poe shakes his head, powering down the inessential functions so Rose can get things sorted. ’You’d need something _huge,_ to be a counterweight for a neutron star. And cold, right? Because the velocity of the neighbouring streams would incinerate anything moving between them. It’d have to be—‘

Chewie interrupts with a question.

‘Yeah, or something like a comet, mostly ice…’

Chewie interrupts him again.

Poe looks over at him. ‘What comet?’

‘Poe,’ Finn’s voice is tense. _‘Poe.’_

That comet.


	30. Live to Hate Another Day

Poe lunges forward and Finn jumps out of his lap. The comet isn’t fast, but the size of a moon and there’s no way to dodge it without being thrown back into the whirlpool.

‘Suggestions?!’ he shouts.

Chewie advises they land on it.

‘We gotta land at some point,’ Rose says. ‘Our shields can’t take another stream, and the hyperdrive is drained.’

‘We don’t know if—‘

‘This is the place,’ Finn says.

 _‘On_ the comet?’ Poe clarifies.

‘There’s something down there,’ Finn points. ‘Near the pole.’

Poe squints. It looks like ice, and glaciers, and more ice.

‘Here,’ Finn tilts the yoke again. ‘Can we land it?’

‘Assuming there’s a flat surface down there,’ Poe clicks his tongue.

‘Let’s assume,’ Jannah suggests. ‘It’s not like there’s an alternative.'

Poe and Chewie adjust the thrusters, steering the Falcon toward the comet’s pole. The whole face is uniformly colourless: as they enter the atmosphere, the light shifts into blues and greys, and contours appear in the ice.

‘Look,’ Jannah points out a distinctive spire. ‘Is that it?’

Chewie moves them toward it, lowering the Falcon gradually. The thrusters splutter, and the Falcon jolts.

‘Uh,’ Rose sounds worried. ‘What are you guys doing?’

‘The pressure’s going haywire,’ Poe says. ‘Let me try to…’

There’s a ticking noise. Frost starts to creep across the viewport.

‘Is that…?’ Finn trails off.

‘That’s bad,’ Poe says.

Warning lights start flashing. Chewie hits buttons so fast he almost blurs. The Falcon groans, and everything goes quiet.

The ship plunges towards the ground.

 _‘Really_ bad!’ Poe yells, hitting the thrusters. They flare for a second and the ship bounces upward, then tips into a nosedive.

‘Rose, what can you do?’

‘It’s freezing over!’ she explains. ‘Poe, try a short burst.’

He flicks the thrusters briefly. The Falcon wobbles.

‘Keep going,’ she says.

‘It’s warming up the lower we get,’ Jannah points at the instruments. ‘It might be enough.’

Poe gives it another push. Their trajectory gets less steep each time, but they’re dropping fast, and there’s not going to be enough time to correct.

‘Hold onto something!’ Poe shouts.

Chewie throws a toggle and it snaps back into place. He’s half out of his seat wrenching it into place. Poe alternates the thrusters and the yoke, trying to guide them onto what he desperately hopes is a snowfield and not a frozen lake. The Falcon is listing to one side, and he taps on the thrusters in an attempt to keep them level. If they land sideways, they’re dead. Their speed is still way too high, but if he can get the angle right, they’ll skid like they did on Kef Bir.

Too late, he sees the spur of ice jutting out. The Falcon’s nose clips it and sends them spinning. The underbelly hits the ground and everyone yelps as they rebound. The thrusters are useless. The ship skips like a stone across water: Poe has an oddly vivid memory of Yeosi. The last skip is uneven: the ship almost flips over. Poe jams every thruster on. The Falcon wheezes in protest. For a moment they’re facing the sky, stuck like a spindle, and then gravity seems to remember itself and the ship heaves down into the snow. Chewie cheers at their survival.

‘Everyone okay?’ Poe asks. Finn and Jannah are shaken, but intact.

BB makes a sad noise from the engineering bay. Poe’s on his feet and running, Jannah and Finn hot on his heels.

‘Rose!’ Finn shouts. BB is shining a light on her.

‘I’m good,’ Rose mumbles. ‘Just... stuck.’

Her leg is wedged under a console, knocked loose in the crash.

‘I’ll get a med pack,’ Finn says, while Chewie climbs around to lift the console. Jannah kneels down, brushing the hair out of Rose’s face.

‘Did you hit your head?’ she asks, looking in Rose’s eyes.

‘No,’ Rose says. ‘Just my ass.’

Poe goes to Chewie’s other side, getting the console stable again. BB zooms in to reconnect everything.

Rose rotates her ankle gingerly. Finn returns with a scanner, checking her over.

‘Sprained,’ he reports. Poe and Jannah help her up, and walk her into the main hold. Jannah gets her settled at the dejarik table, and Finn gives her an anti-inflammatory shot. He passes the bandages to Jannah, who gently eases Rose’s boot off and begins to strap the limb. While they see to Rose, Poe checks up on BB. One of his hatches has come loose, and Poe slots it back into place. He straightens BB’s antenna and BB trills in thanks.

‘How about you, Keeo?’ Poe asks. ‘Did you live to hate another day?’

‘I am intact,’ Keeo reports. ‘No thanks to your flying.’

Poe takes the scanner from the table and checks over everyone else, even as they insist they’re fine.

‘The ship took the beating,’ Rose says. ‘Hyperdrive is fried. I’ll need to get outside to check what the ice has done.’

‘Can we _go_ outside?’ Jannah asks.

‘Well, we know there’s an atmosphere, because it almost took us out,’ Poe says. ‘And something built that structure.’

He almost calls it _the Sanctuary,_ but that feels like pushing their luck.

‘Rose, you rest,’ Jannah suggests. ‘I’ll take BB and check the engineering bay. You boys get the cockpit?’

Chewie and Poe agree, while Finn stays with Rose.

It isn’t good. Jannah knows more about dismantling ships than rebuilding them, but she can tell the hyperdrive is dead. As Poe suspected, the thrusters have frozen over, and if they warm up too fast the whole ship is liable to explode. Chewie fixes the jammed toggle, and Poe gets the instruments back on. The thermometer can’t get a reading, but there’s breathable air outside. Their nav system puts them halfway to the centre of the Wake. Somehow, a comet drawn into the gravity well has stabilised, orbiting through a gap in the slipstream.

Chewie checks the long-range comms. Poe records a distress call to Ajan Kloss, and Chewie sends another to his contacts. There’s no guarantee the signal will carry out of the Wake, but if the Guardians managed to get one through, there’s hope it works.

Poe returns to the main hold to find Rose dozing on Finn’s shoulder. Finn eases himself out from under her, getting her settled.

‘What’s our status?’ he murmurs to Poe.

‘Bad, but stable,’ Poe tells him. He takes a heavy breath. ‘You’re going out there.’

It’s not quite a question. It should have been, but Poe knows whatever’s here has been calling to Finn. He won’t turn back now.

Like Jannah said: the way out is through.

Finn nods. ‘Is it safe?’

‘There’s air, and ice means water,’ Poe says. Life will grow wherever there’s water. ‘Did you bring any cold weather gear?’

‘Coat, scarf,’ Finn says. ‘Chewie could hug my head.’

‘You know Kashyyk is tropical, right?’ Poe chuckles.

Finn gives him a small smile. ‘I’ll make it work.’

‘Or you’ll freeze to death,’ Keeo supplies.

Poe looks at Finn. ‘We came this far.’

Finn nods, a determined look on his face. They head to the cabin and wrap up in all the layers they can find, then waddle to the loading room.

‘Here goes nothing,’ Poe says through his scarf. He lowers the ramp, and a blast of freezing air hits them both. Poe yelps, and Finn hunches. Poe’s already backing into the shelter of the Falcon, while Finn wanders to the bottom of the ramp.

‘It’s not so bad!’ Finn calls out. ‘Reminds me of Starkiller.’

These would seem to Poe to be contradictory statements. He crosses his arms over his chest and follows Finn out. The Falcon has ploughed through a swathe of snow, making it easier to walk on. Finn moves toward the drifts between here and the spire, while Poe goes around the back to check the thrusters. The vents are jammed with ice. His ears feel ready to drop off by the time he returns.

He turns to see Finn has made some progress wading through powder. Poe stomps to catch up, already feeling winded. Finn comes to a halt when Poe reaches him, and they both stare at the building ahead.

It looks like a temple. The spire is tall and foreboding—maybe Poe’s imagining the latter.

‘About four klicks?’ Finn guesses.

‘Not bad, for a crash landing,’ Poe grins. Then he shuts his mouth before his teeth freeze.

Finn peers at the space between them and the Sanctuary. ‘What is that?’

Poe’s hackles rise. Finn is already backing up when Poe spots a figure coming towards them through the snow. It’s not moving fast, but it looks bigger than a human.

‘Back to the ship,’ Poe says in one breath. Finn is nodding, and both of them turn. Finn grabs his hand and they jog to the ramp. Poe scrambles to find a blaster and gets it aimed at the figure, which has moved fractionally closer.

They both stare, panting from the rush. It’s so slow, Poe starts to feel silly with the blaster. Whatever it is, it’s humanoid. Finn gestures at Poe to put away the blaster: Poe lowers it, and then he lays it within easy reach.

As the figure gets close, Poe realises it’s a Mon Calamari woman swathed in black and red robes. For a bizarre moment, Poe wonders if she’s a Sith. But she’s unarmed, and she spreads her hands in welcome.

‘Greetings,’ she bows her head to them both. They bow awkwardly back. ‘You have traveled far to find this place.’

‘Yeah, we, uh...’ Finn scratches the back of his neck. ‘The Force guided us.’

‘The Force guides all who come here,’ she says. ‘This is the Sanctuary.’

‘Are you the Guardians of the Whills?’ Poe asks.

She considers his question for a solemn moment. ‘What remains of them, yes.’

‘We got a message,’ Finn explains. ‘You had foundlings who were taken?’

‘Indeed,’ she tilts her head when she looks at Finn. ‘And you are lost.’

‘I...’ Finn swallows. ‘Yeah. I am, yeah.’

Poe gnaws the inside of his cheek.

‘Come, then,’ she smiles. ‘Perhaps we can find you.’

Finn starts towards her, then hesitates. He turns back to look at Poe.

‘Go,’ Poe encourages him. ‘This is it.’

Finn frowns. ‘Aren’t you coming?’

Poe sighs. ‘This is for people with the Force, right?’

The Guardian inclines her head. It’s not a no.

‘It’s okay,’ Poe says. ‘The flying part is over.’

Finn’s shoulders slump. ‘Poe. You know that’s not...’

‘I should help them fix the ship,’ Poe reassures him. Finn still looks miserable, so he adds: ‘I’ll catch you up soon, buddy.’

Finn scowls at him. Poe keeps the smile on his face as long as he can, until Finn says ‘Fine,’ and turns away.

Poe watches him trek toward the Sanctuary with the Mon Calamari. They’re out of earshot when he curses to himself, pinching the tears from the corners of his eyes.

He knew this moment would come. He was going to be proud of Finn moving forward, not pitying himself while his nose turns numb. He used to be Leia’s bravest pilot.

Well, he used to have Leia.


	31. He is So Round

BB-8 trundles into the loading bay, asking where Finn’s gone. Poe can’t quite manage to answer. He drops to one knee and rests his forehead on BB’s for a minute. BB hums until Poe’s breathing evens out.

‘Thanks, buddy,’ Poe murmurs. BB leads him back into the ship, showing Poe where he’s been fixing circuits just like on an X-Wing. Poe showers him in praise, and they head to the engineering bay. Rose, Chewie, and Jannah are frantically repairing things.

‘Can I help?’ he offers.

‘Where’s Finn?’ Jannah asks.

‘Gone to the Sanctuary,’ Poe says. ‘Rose, you want me to—?’

‘Why don’t you go bash some ice off the thrusters?’ she suggests. ‘Gently!’

‘Okay,’ Poe sighs. ‘I will go gently bash things.’

Poe goes rummaging through the equipment in one of the storage holds and finds a heat rod and a grappling hook. He affixes both to his belt and climbs out the top hatch.

The top of the Falcon is slippery with frost, and he almost falls on his ass before deciding it’s smarter to crouch and hold onto something. For once, it looks like the rectenna survived this crash, so he thumps it back into place and hopes it helps their distress signal get out. He pulls his scarf up over his nose and wishes he’d brought some goggles.

He holds the heat rod up to the first thruster. The ice starts to melt, but not before he’s got a cramp in his arm. By the time he’s worked from one side of the thruster to the other, the water where he started is already freezing over again. He chips away at it with his hook, until the last of the water drips free. With the next thruster, he only melts around the edges of the ice, then whacks the remaining lump with the rod. It dislodges most of the ice at once. Now a pool of icemelt is forming at his feet. He moves on, rather than testing how waterproof his boots really are.

‘Ten more to go,’ he mutters to nobody. The first row of thrusters are easy to access from on top, but the second and third sets require the grappling hook. He winds it carefully around the hull and lowers himself down the side of the ship. He’s nearly at the next thruster when his boots lose grip, and he smacks face-first into the frozen side of the Falcon. Pulling away feels like peeling off a layer of skin, and he swears to himself profusely before getting upright again.

‘Would’ve been easier in an X-Wing,’ he grumbles. He tries to imagine zipping through the vortex to visit Finn between Resistance missions. But with nobody on board to guide him through, he’d be shattered into a million pieces. Poe swears again, shutting his mouth quickly when the chill makes his teeth ache.

There’s no fast way to melt ice, so he works carefully on each thruster, trying to ignore how his fingers are starting to go numb. The lowest row is the hardest: he has to cling with one arm to the underside of the ship, ten feet off the ground. Maybe he could do it sitting on Chewie’s shoulders, but they’d both get soaked. He tries to sing a song to himself to stay entertained, but his teeth keep chattering. With two thrusters to go, he almost drops the rod into the snow. It forces him to stop and warm his hands on it until his fingers can bend properly. The blaster scar on his upper arm pulses between numb and searing. Taking the rod away from his skin and back to the thrusters is agony.

By the time he’s finished, he’s of a mind to just cut the hook and fall into the snow and lie there. But he winches himself back up, unwinds the anchor, and gets back in through the top hatch. He gets a whiff of himself as he drops into the corridor, and it’s repulsive.

He marches himself straight to the sonic, and stays there until he’s no longer shivering. There can’t be much said for the way he smells, but it’s better than before. He gets into fresh clothes, hangs his coat to dry, and finds the others still working in the engineering bay.

‘Anything else I can do?’ he tries to keep the exhaustion out of his voice.

‘Nope,’ Rose tells him. ‘You’re a lot better at breaking ships than fixing them, flyboy. How about you give us some space?’

He salutes, not willing to argue. He trudges back to the main hold. Without anything else to do, he tidies away the medical gear.

Then he remembers to check for his communicator, fishing it out of his coat pocket. ‘Finn, you make it to the Sanctuary okay?’ he asks.

The communicator flashes an error light. Only static plays back.

Poe slumps at the dejarik table. The holo flashes on, showing the last game Chewie won against Jannah.

‘Hey, Keeo,’ Poe calls out. ‘You know how to play dejarik?’

‘I am a security droid,’ Keeo reminds him.

‘That a no, then?’

‘We must lament that the First Order omitted from my programming an additional way to humiliate you,’ Keeo says.

Poe huffs. ‘Maybe BB can show you.’

‘The little droid knows many things,’ Keeo acknowledges. ‘Far beyond what is necessary.’

‘Well, it might have been necessary at the time,’ Poe shrugs. ‘To keep us from getting bored.’

‘You stuff him full of data,’ Keeo says. ‘It is no wonder he is so round.’

Poe snorts. ‘Keeo, was that a joke?’

‘I hope not,’ Keeo grumbles.

Poe sprawls on the bench, kicking his foot up. ‘Maybe you can tell me something you do know. How do you deal with just sitting here all the time?’

‘I do not sit,’ Keeo says primly. ‘I stand.’

‘Okay, how do you stand around being useless without going crazy?’

‘It was my assignment, before you stole me,’ Keeo says. ‘I stood in the vault. Now I stand in the ship.’

‘Did you get bored?’

‘Can droids experience boredom?’

‘Sure,’ Poe says. ‘BB gets bored if we don’t go flying and meet people.’

‘Your droid is programmed to aid you,’ Keeo points out. ‘Your tasks are to fly and meet people, and he aids you in these tasks. If he cannot complete his programming, he will be frustrated.’

‘Okay, so did you get frustrated standing in a vault?’

‘No,’ Keeo says. ‘It was my task.’

‘Do you miss it?’

‘I am frustrated at no longer being able to complete my task,’ Keeo says. ‘I believe I have made this clear to you at every possible opportunity.’

‘How about your new task?’ Poe asks. ‘Helping us find the lost families?’

‘I have completed this task,’ Keeo says.

‘No you haven’t,’ Poe reminds him. ‘Not for Finn.’

‘I have delivered all the information I possess,’ Keeo insists. ‘My task is complete.’

‘You’re a real piece of work, you know that?’ Poe scowls.

‘I have restraints in place to aid the Resistance, and original programming to hinder the Resistance,’ Keeo says. ‘If a droid cannot experience boredom, it can certainly experience frustration.’

Poe makes a face to show the feeling is mutual. ‘Do you think they miss you, back on Vardos?’

‘It is likely they do not realise I have been replaced.’

‘No? Keebler’s not going: _Hey, Keeo seems to have a sunnier disposition?’_

‘I was not known as _Keeo,’_ Keeo says. ‘Humans seldom take note of droid designations.’

‘But surely, if they talked to you every day…’

‘They did not.’

‘Huh,’ Poe says. ‘That kind of sucks.’

‘Droids are not considered to be First Order personnel.’

‘Right, which is why we never knew you were in there,’ Poe recalls.

‘I made you aware.’

‘You did that,’ Poe touches the faint scarring at his waist. Keeo doesn’t reply.

Poe clears the old dejarik game, and resets the pieces. The animated figures fidget in anticipation, but he doesn’t make a move.

‘Droids aren’t part of First Order personnel,’ he repeats. ‘We took the personnel files.’

He rubs his hand over his mouth. It’s a wild guess. It has to be.

‘Keeo,’ Poe says very slowly, trying to control his breathing. ‘What kind of droid is E-75?’

Keeo looks at him. Those lenticular eyes make his blood run cold. ‘You will ask questions to which you do not like the answers.’


	32. A Useful Conversation with a Monk

Three times, Poe considers turning back. The first time, because he should have told BB-8 and the others where he was going. The second time, because he’s pretty sure his balls are going to freeze off before he gets to the Sanctuary. The third, because he has no idea how he’s going to tell Finn the truth.

He would have turned back at the third, but he’s closer now to the spire than the Falcon, and he’s still worrying about the second problem.

By the time he gets there, the daylight is getting thin and snow has begun to fall. He’s damp to the thighs and his teeth won’t stop chattering. He pounds on the door and it opens suddenly, while his fist is still in the air.

‘So, the promise to follow is fulfilled,’ the Guardian bows. This one is a Lasat.

Poe shuffles inside. The Guardian shows him where to leave his coat and boots. Poe feels inexplicable relief when he sees Finn’s things are stowed there too. He’s offered a warmed towel and slippers, and mumbles his thanks as he dries off.

‘You‘re looking for your friend?’ the Guardian asks. His broad accent seems at odds with the gravitas of a monk.

‘You guys seem to know everything, huh?’ Poe doesn’t mean to be snide.

The Guardian narrows his yellow eyes, amused. ‘Why don’t you have some tea?’

‘Okay, tea,’ Poe’s willing to entertain whatever rituals are standing between him and Finn. In any case, it’ll help his nerves.

The Guardian leads him to an antechamber where Poe is invited to sit on a cushion at a low table. The Guardian pours himself some tea from a pot, then waits for Poe to do the same with the cup in front of him.

The tea is good. It warms Poe from the inside, and his fingers stop shaking. He clutches the cup a bit tighter, and hopes it can fill the emptiness in his belly that has nothing to do with thirst.

‘What’s your name?’ Poe asks.

‘Arador Draddak,’ he answers. ‘And you?’

‘Poe Dameron.’

At least this seems to be news. ‘It‘s good to meet you, Poe Dameron.’

‘Yeah?’ Poe asks.

‘We don’t get many visitors,’ Arador raises an eyebrow. ‘You can’t be surprised.’

Poe shoots him a sidelong look, to check if he’s joking. ’When was your last?’

‘We‘ve got our own pilots, who know the ways in and out,’ Arador says. ‘They bring others: the lost and found. On occasion, the Force shows someone the way.’

He inclines his head to suggest that Poe is such a case.

‘You’ve got pilots?’ Poe repeats. ‘That’s how you’re getting supplies here?’

Arador nods. ‘Your companion said you need assistance with repairs, and safe passage out of the Wake.’

‘Sounds like he’s got us all sorted,’ Poe says under his breath.

Arador takes a long drink of tea. Then, he says: ‘There‘s a weight on your heart.’

‘Oh, you can tell?’ Poe drawls. He’s no longer cold: now he’s damp and itchy, and his patience is wearing out. ‘Where’s my friend?’

‘Dulius was showing him around the Sanctuary,’ Arador says. ‘I imagine their tour is concluding.’

Poe tries not to gulp his tea, in case he’s rushing some kind of ceremony. He’s struggling to recall if he’s ever had a useful conversation with a monk. None of this is Arador’s fault, aside from the personal questions phrased as statements.

‘Poe!’

Poe turns so fast his cup clatters in the table. He’s halfway to his feet when Finn collides with him in a fierce hug.

‘I was gonna come back,’ Finn says, mouth close to Poe’s ear. ‘But they’re saying it’s not safe in the dark.’

‘I said I’d catch you up,’ Poe murmurs.

‘You did,’ Finn is smiling: Poe can feel it. ‘Yeah, you did.’

He tries to relax in Finn’s arms. It doesn’t happen. Finn pulls back to look at him.

‘What is it?’ horror dawns across his face. ‘Are the others okay?’

‘They’re fine,’ Poe says. ‘They’re getting the Falcon fixed.’

‘The Guardians are going to send a mechanic over in the morning,’ Finn says. ‘This place is _incredible.’_

‘Yeah,’ Poe glances around. ‘It’s… d’you like it?’

‘Let me show you,’ Finn lights up with excitement.

Poe will tell him. He’s going to—just not right now. It can be like this, for a little bit longer.

Their slippers make no sound on the padded floor. The interior walls are made of cloth panels in wooden frames, rather than the comet’s stone. A Guardian passes them silently, lighting lanterns as dusk falls.

‘They were fleeing the Sith when they found the comet,’ Finn explains as he leads Poe toward the Sanctuary’s heart. ‘The older Guardians think the Force pulled it into the Wake. They’ve been taking in refugees, teaching them to understand the Force.’

‘To use it?’ Poe asks.

‘Not all of them use it,’ Finn explains. ‘Not like the Jedi do. For some, it’s more sensing, and learning—you know.’

He doesn’t finish _like I do,_ but Poe gets it. ‘That’s good.’

‘There’s kyber, too,’ Finn says. ‘They’ve got a garden of it. Did you know it grows in gardens?’

‘I did not,’ Poe admits.

‘They cultivate it somehow,’ Finn continues. ‘Dulius was telling me if you’re sensitive, it’s possible to find the right piece to forge with.’

‘Forge?’ Poe repeats.

‘A lightsaber,’ Finn’s mouth is pressed tight in excitement. ‘To become a Jedi.’

‘Oh,’ understanding dawns on Poe. ‘Oh, Finn, that’s great.’

‘I mean, I’m getting ahead of myself,’ Finn says.

Poe wants to reassure him, to stop him from being modest when he has every reason to be proud.

‘I got wondering… maybe I knew the way here because it was the way back,’ Finn says. ‘The way home.’

‘Finn…’ Poe swallows. ‘Did they say anything about the message? With the stolen kids?’

Finn frowns. ‘They say they didn’t send a message.’

‘They _what?’_

‘I told them what it said, and Dulius says it’s not lying,’ Finn purses his lips. ‘But nobody here sent it.’

‘Finn…’ Poe shakes his head. ‘Tell me this sounds too good to be true.’

‘But I was called here,’ Finn insists. ‘I _felt_ it. We wouldn’t have survived the journey if this wasn’t the right place.’

Poe reminds himself of the tree, the one he grew up with. Tells himself to be that. Be the shade protecting Finn, offer the deep roots that Finn doesn’t have, a solid trunk for him to lean on when everything else crumbles. Be— _burning up too fast, crackling as flames licked into the core and hollowed it out_ —not that. Don’t be the one who flies too fast and burns everything he touches and doesn’t know how to let go.

He wonders what’s worse: that he’s had Finn this long because Finn needed him, or that he’s losing Finn now he’s not needed anymore.

‘Hey,’ Finn’s brow crinkles with concern. Poe’s eyes slide away. ‘You still think it’s a trap?’

‘I don’t know what it is,’ Poe shakes his head. ‘I just… is this what you want? To be a Jedi?’

Finn withdraws a little in surprise. ‘Would that be so bad?’

‘If it’s what you want,’ Poe sighs. ‘I’m not gonna hold you back.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Finn cocks his head.

Poe’s heart is going too fast. ‘I found something out.’

‘Found out what? About this place?’

‘About you.’

Finn’s lips part in shock. ‘What?’

Poe scrapes his hands through his hair. He feels like he’s breathing in high altitude. It’s like every word can be heard through the thin walls. At some point night must have fallen, because it’s getting darker in this hallway, and Poe has no idea how to have this conversation.

‘Can we—‘ he looks around. ‘Can we do this somewhere else?’

‘You don’t like this place, do you?’ Finn narrows his eyes.

‘That’s not what I said,’ Poe insists. ‘This is just… does this _really_ feel like home, to you?’

‘I don’t know, do I?’ Finn bites his lip. ‘What’s home supposed to feel like?’

Poe’s shoulders slump. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.’

Finn sighs, letting Poe take his hand. Poe rubs his thumb over Finn’s knuckles, and Finn gives him a weak jiggle in return.

‘What did you mean?’ Finn asks.

Poe tugs Finn’s hand gently, like he can lead him out of the hall. The only place he can think of that’s quiet was the alcove where they hung their coats. Finn doesn’t budge.

‘Just say it.’

‘You don’t understand, it’s…’

‘You’re right I don’t understand,’ Finn draws his hand away. ‘Because you’re not _telling me.’_

Poe tries to get a full breath of air. Finn’s watching him with a new wariness in his eyes.

‘I’m scared, okay?’ Poe confesses.

‘Scared of me becoming a Jedi?’ Finn raises an eyebrow.

‘Yeah, I’m scared of that,’ Poe says, and all of it bursts forth. ‘I’m scared of you having some big destiny that’s going to pull us apart, and that you’re gonna be alone after you fought so hard to find us. I’m scared this is going to take you somewhere I can’t follow.’

Finn’s expression softens in concern, but Poe can’t stop.

‘Rey died down there, Finn, she _died,’_ he chokes through a sob at the memory of it. _‘_ And _I_ can’t bring you back if that happens to you because I’m just a damn pilot.’

‘Poe,’ Finn shakes his head. ‘You’re not just—I’m not gonna die.’

‘You don’t _know_ that, though,’ Poe insists. ‘Look, I know you’re not ordinary, I knew that the moment I met you, and maybe this really is your calling. But _I’m_ scared about it, and I’m selfish, and all the other stuff that makes me not right for a Jedi. Not right for _you.’_

‘You really think that?’ Finn murmurs.

Poe can’t do this. He can’t lie to Finn, even if it’s to say it’s all going to work out great. But the truth—maybe the truth is worse.

‘It’s not...’ a shuddering sigh escapes him. ‘Too many people have told you what to do. I don’t want to be another one. But Finn—buddy—if you’re choosing this? Choose it because you _want_ it. Not because you think it’s where you come from.’

Finn doesn’t say anything. Poe can’t decipher his expression. He looks away from Poe and then back.

‘What do you mean, where I _think_ I come from?’ he asks.

Poe has suddenly run out of words. His jaw works, and nothing comes. Some awful part of him, something scraped up by the outburst, wonders: if Finn is powerful enough, couldn’t he just take the truth from Poe’s mind? Poe wouldn’t need to find the strength to say it. Like when Ren pulled him over the edge and into freefall. At least with no control, the worst thing had already happened.

Finn keeps waiting.

‘We guessed your chain code was a secret,’ Poe starts there. ‘Remember?’

‘Right,’ Finn prompts.

‘That’s what we didn’t ask: a secret from who?’

‘From the First Order,’ Finn scowls. ‘Because the Guardians—‘

‘It wasn’t the Guardians who scrubbed your chain code,’ Poe shakes his head. ‘Did we really think the First Order stopped to ask Jayelle’s parents what her chain code was? Or Bax’s mother? How could the Guardians have hidden yours any better?’

‘So why, then?’ Finn asks.

‘The First Order erased it themselves.’

‘What?’ Finn’s brow crinkles in confusion.

‘Because it’s the First Order’s database,’ Poe tells him. ‘They didn’t want their own personnel looking up who you were.’

_‘Why?’_

‘That note on your file,’ Poe’s voice cracks. ‘E-75 wasn’t a _Force rating._ It was a First Order droid.’

‘A droid?’ Finn repeats. ‘Why would I have a droid…?’

’E-75 is—it’s midwife class,’ Poe’s heart plummets as he confesses. ‘You were her twelfth delivery.’

Finn huffs like he’s been slapped. He chews the inside of his lip, looking away. ‘No.’

‘Keeo knew,’ Poe says. ‘He said you come from the First Order.’

‘Then Keeo _lied.’_

‘He can’t,’ Poe says. ‘You know he can’t.’

‘I _sensed_ this place,’ Finn backs away. ‘How can I have—?’

‘Because you’re Force sensitive!’ Poe reminds him. ‘Even if you were born into the First Order.’

‘How? Who the _hell_ could be—?’

‘You said it yourself,’ Poe reminds him. Scraping his own insides out would be easier than this. ‘Stormtroopers slept together sometimes. We never asked ourselves what happened if one of them—’

’Shut up,’ Finn turns heel. He strides toward the Sanctuary’s entrance.

‘Finn, it’s true,’ Poe struggles to keep up. Tears sting at the corners of his eyes. ‘Why would I make this up?’

But Finn’s already at the alcove, pulling his boots on.

‘Hey— _stop,’_ Poe grabs his arm, and Finn shoves it away. His glare is so fierce Poe steps back. ’Please, Finn, you’ve gotta—‘

‘Don’t tell me what I have to do,’ Finn flings the Sanctuary door open. A freezing gust of air hits Poe so hard he staggers backward.

Finn storms out into the night.


	33. Like They're on Leashes

Poe yanks his boots and coat on.

‘It’s not safe!’ Arador calls out, jogging his way.

‘He just went out there!’ Poe replies, crossing the threshold before Arador can catch up.

Fresh snow has already covered Finn’s tracks. It’s falling so thick Poe can barely see his hand in front of his face, let alone the direction Finn’s gone.

‘Finn!’ he cups his hands around his mouth. _‘Finn!'_

The wind howls across the ice, snatching his voice away. The snow looks grey in the dark. There’s no sign of the Falcon’s lights, even as Poe pushes forward in the direction he remembers. He looks over his shoulder. The Sanctuary’s spire is a hint of shadow between flurries of snow.

 _‘Finn!’_ he shouts, searching the horizon.

He glances back at the spire: if any Guardians have followed, he can’t see them. If Finn’s close enough to see the way, he’ll eventually find the sense to go back. If he’s gone forward, though…

Poe goes forward.

‘Finn, please!’ he calls. ‘Where are you?’

The next time he looks back the way he came, the spire is gone.

‘BB-8?!’ he figures it’s worth a shot. ‘Jannah! Rose! Chewie!’

He can’t be four klicks from the Sanctuary already. He knows it, rationally, but there’s no way to mark any horizon anymore.

‘Finn?’

This time it comes out quietly. Useless. He takes a few more steps forward: it’s getting harder to wade through the snow. It crunches underfoot, the squeak setting his teeth on edge.

His toes catch on a lump of ice. He skids sideways, arms flailing, and crashes to the ground. The fresh snow is so deep he’s swallowed by it, and by the time he’s clambered to his feet, knee searing with pain, a drift of snowflakes has settled on him.

That means if Finn has fallen over, he’s already been buried.

‘Finn!’ he calls. His voice is getting hoarse. His left arm twinges again. He takes another step and his knee locks, but he grits his teeth through the pain and keeps moving. There’s no other option.

There’s still nothing but snow, getting deeper by the minute.

He concentrates. It’s never worked before, but he might get lucky. All the kyber nearby; everyone being guided around like they’re on leashes. Poe takes a deep breath—so cold it stings his nostrils—and listens to his feelings.

Desperate, plummeting panic. Throbbing in his knee. The Force doesn’t point him anywhere.

He swears. It’s slowing him down, looking from side to side, so he throws the hood of his coat back. He pinches the tips of each ear to check they’re still there, and keeps marching forward.

 _‘Damn it, Finn!’_ he screams. His throat aches: his knee aches. It would be so good to sit down, for a while. Just to catch his breath, wait out the worst of it.

He covers his face with his hands until the urge goes away.

‘Please,’ his breath is mercifully warm on his palms. ‘Please, buddy.’

‘Poe?’

He looks up. Still nothing except grey snow on the grey night.

‘Finn?’

‘Poe!’

A shout that could cut across planets. Poe laughs, and it sounds a little insane to his own ears.

‘I’m here!’ he calls. ‘Keep talking, so I can find you!’

A pause. Poe’s heart doesn’t beat.

‘I don’t know where I am,’ Finn speaks softly this time. He has to be close.

‘It’s okay,’ Poe tells him, surging forward in the direction he guesses. ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you.’

Poe doesn’t see Finn until he’s almost on top of him. Finn’s on his knees, shoulders hunched against the elements. Poe crouches in front of him, pulling Finn into his arms.

Finn is shaking too hard to call it shivering. He didn’t bring his coat, and his shirt is soaked through. Poe drags his own coat off and wraps it around Finn: even if it won’t warm him up, it’ll keep more snow from piling on him.

‘Poe,’ he says it in chattering syllables, barely raising his head. He reaches for the front of Poe’s shirt, fingers clumsy in it. Poe pulls him into a hug, both of them burrowing under the coat.

‘Finn, I’m sorry,’ Poe squeezes him so tight his arms ache. ‘I am _so_ sorry.’

Finn makes a wet noise. It could be a sob, or a laugh, or just desperation.

‘Poe,’ he murmurs. ‘It’s okay.’

Poe keeps touching him, trying to warm Finn’s face with his hands.

Finn looks up at Poe. ‘It’s okay, right?’

‘Yeah, buddy, it’s gonna be,’ he says, and he tries to believe it. But his own voice is starting to wobble. ‘I just need you to do something.’

Finn slumps, burying his head in Poe’s chest.

‘Buddy, this is important,’ Poe touches his knuckles under Finn’s chin, tilting his head up. Finn’s eyes are glazed, tears sticking his lashes together. ‘I need you to tell me if you can sense where the Sanctuary is.’

Finn’s eyes screw shut. He shakes his head.

‘The Falcon?’ Poe asks.

Finn sighs heavily. ‘I only know where _you_ are.’

That punches the last of Poe’s breath away.

‘Come here,’ he sniffles, pulling the hood over Finn’s head. He sits back on the ice, dragging Finn’s knees into his lap. Finn nestles into him instinctively. His shivers slow down a bit, or it could be that Poe’s are catching up.

‘Can we just rest?’ Finn asks. He reaches for Poe’s shoulder, but only manages to snag the necklace. He lets his hand hang there. ‘Just for a minute.’

‘We really shouldn’t,’ Poe shakes his head.

But Finn is getting heavier in his arms. His knee has stopped twinging. Poe startles, remembering he has to keep his eyes open.

‘Just for a minute,’ he mumbles, and they rest.


	34. The Short-Term Days

Poe wakes up with Finn in his arms.

He notices this before anything else. He buries his nose in Finn’s hair and inhales deeply. Finn is alive and warm, wrapped in the same soft blanket as Poe. His face is tucked under Poe’s chin and his arm is around Poe’s waist. Poe lays his palm gently under the scar on Finn’s back and feels him breathing. A slow rise, a steady fall.

Finn begins to stir. His fingers curl at Poe’s side, and his ankle hooks around Poe’s leg. That’s how Poe discovers they’re both naked. It’s probably for the best that he’s too exhausted to fully appreciate it.

‘Poe?’ Finn grumbles, heaving a sigh. ’How did we…?’

Poe opens one eye, peering around. They’re definitely not on the Falcon. The room is snug and dimly lit.

‘Looks like the Sanctuary,’ he guesses. ‘Someone must’ve found us.’

 _And brought us back, undressed us, and put us in a bed so we didn’t die from the cold._ He leaves that part for Finn to assume.

Finn slowly sits up, untangling himself from Poe. He blinks as he gets his bearings. Poe takes a moment to wiggle his toes, making sure all ten of them are still intact. The tips of his ears sting, and his knee aches. The blaster scar on his arm has a funny itch to it.

‘Are you hurt?’ he asks Finn.

‘No,’ Finn shakes his head, then appears to consider the question properly. He buries his face in his hands. _‘Ugh.’_

‘Yeah,’ Poe agrees, and adds a sore throat to the list of problems.

‘I shouldn’t have taken off like that,’ Finn says.

‘Into a blizzard? At night?’ Poe sighs. ‘You were upset.’

Finn gnaws on the inside of his cheek, jaw working. His hands drop into his lap.

‘I should’ve broken it to you better,’ Poe insists. ‘You had every right.’

Finn gives a mirthless laugh. ‘What were you gonna do? Sit me down and hold my hands and tell me I’m the First Order’s dirty secret?’

Poe sits up, leaning his arm against Finn’s. ‘Would that have helped?’

Finn lays his head on Poe’s shoulder. ‘No.’

‘The stuff I said about you being a Jedi…’ Poe nudges the blanket around until they’re both decent. ‘I’m sorry. You should do it, if that’s the right thing for you.’

‘You know,’ Finn sighs heavily. ‘I think I’m done being part of anything called an Order.’

Poe nods. He looks at his hands, still too tired to do anything else. His knuckles are purple from exposure. He pinches a few of them between the forefinger and thumb of his opposite hand. The joints grind and then loosen, warming up.

There is a soft knock on the door. Both of them jolt in surprise.

‘Just a second!’ Finn calls.

Finn looks around the room: there are two sets of robes folded nearby. He gets into them quickly, and tosses the other robes to Poe. Poe probably has them inside out, but at least he’s not naked. He gives Finn a thumbs up, and Finn opens the door.

‘I am glad to see you are both awake,’ Dulius enters the room with a tray, which she sets down on the table. Anticipating Poe’s first question, she says: ‘We were able to hail your ship. Your friends have been informed of your rescue.’

‘Thank you,’ Finn says. ‘And for the rescue.’

‘Your presence is strong in the Force,’ she tells Finn. ‘Yours as well.’

Poe frowns, pointing at himself. She nods at him with the intensity of all Mon Calamari.

‘Still, it is fortunate Arador found you when he did,’ she continues. ‘We feared we would lose all three of you.’

Poe’s face twists with guilt. Dulius pours tea, handing each of them a cup. It’s milky, and spiced—different from the bitter flavour Poe was served last night. Poe blows the steam off it and takes a small sip. It makes his lips tingle, but he feels warmer when it reaches his stomach. Judging by Finn’s eyebrows, he’s enjoying it too.

‘The blizzard has not yet cleared,’ Dulius tells them. ‘We will inform you when the path to your ship is safe.’

She takes a draught of her own tea. Poe can’t think of anything to say, so he doesn’t.

‘In the meantime, I suggest you finish your recovery in the baths,’ Dulius smiles. ‘You will find them at the end of the hall.’

Poe mumbles his thanks. She finishes her cup and with a short bow, she takes her leave.

‘Was she trying to say we smell?’ Finn squints at Poe.

Poe gives himself a sniff. ‘We kind of do. But I think she means it’ll be warm.’

Finn’s eyes widen.

*  
The moment they step through the curtain to the Sanctuary’s bathhouse, the temperature rises. It takes Poe a moment to adjust to breathing steam. An older Twi’lek is ahead of them: they mimic his preparations in undressing, and cleaning off with a basin of cool water before moving into the communal pool.

The water is so warm it almost stings. Finn doesn’t seem to mind, descending quickly and letting out an expansive sigh. Poe slides in after him. The heat seeps into his bones, loosening every joint that locked up on the ice. Poe wonders idly if they slip a bit of bacta into the water. He leans back, watching Finn with half-lidded eyes. Finn is almost entirely submerged, crouched and wading slowly around the pool.

The Twi’lek departs after a short while, and Poe gets an unexpectedly thorough view of a Twi’lek’s ass like he hasn’t had since—well, since his mysterious, casual, short-term days. Then he’s alone with Finn in the baths.

Poe sits on a shelf built into the pool, elbows resting on the edge. Finn drifts slowly in circles. His head bumps Poe’s chest, but Poe reaches out to correct his course. Finn dips and gets himself upright, sitting to the depth of his chin.

‘Hey,’ Poe murmurs, fingers skating over Finn’s shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Nope,’ Finn says, without opening his eyes.

Finn slouches back against Poe’s leg. A flurry of tiny bubbles are disturbed from Poe’s thigh. Poe watches the place where Finn’s skin is touching his own. Poe’s hand remains close to Finn’s shoulder: he shifts so his palm rests across the nape of Finn’s neck. Finn’s head drops back into Poe’s grip. Poe draws circles with his finger and thumb, until the tightness in Finn’s neck begins to unwind.

There’s nothing to say about it, so Poe doesn’t say anything.

Eventually, Finn launches back out into the centre of the pool. Poe lowers himself in to follow, and they loop around each other in the water before returning to the edge. Finn stretches with a muted groan, stepping out of the pool. If Poe were less exhausted, he’d remember to look away. But his gaze drifts over Finn’s body. Most of Finn is so familiar Poe could draw him from memory: some parts, he only knows from glimpses and dreams. He recalls, clearer now than when he first woke up, how Finn was tangled up with him in the bed. Poe tries to map the correspondences of textures and planes—what he sees now and felt then—but the idea slides away as he tries to grasp it. All he needed at the time was for Finn to be safe. Now, all he needs is for Finn to be okay. What Poe wants? That can wait. It has waited this long.

He clambers out of the bath and rinses himself off beside Finn. Finn hands him a towel, and Poe might be imagining the glance Finn steals as Poe dries off with it.

Poe fumbles again with the robe, trying to decipher the crossed layers. Finn sees his confusion and chuckles.

‘Come here,’ he gestures, untying Poe’s terrible knot. His hands slide under the shoulders of the robe, easing it off Poe’s chest. Too late, Poe takes the cue to finish removing it altogether. It feels like Finn undressing him. Finn _is_ undressing him, but it’s because Poe’s got the red layer inside out.

‘Hey…’ Finn pauses, tilting his head. ‘How’s this been going?’

Poe looks down at the blaster scar. Finn’s hand hovers an inch from it—closer, with Poe’s shallow breathing.

‘It’s fine,’ Poe says. ‘I mean, it’s tight sometimes, but it doesn’t hurt.’

Finn gives him a skeptical look.

‘This one—‘ Poe gestures at his left arm. ‘—got weird in the snow.’

‘Does it—‘

‘Nah, it’s not doing it anymore,’ Poe assures him. ‘It must have gone deeper.’

Finn nods, even though he looks like he’s still concerned. He picks up the red cloth, turning it right-way-around.

‘I really thought—both times—you were done for,’ he confesses.

‘Nah,’ Poe tries to make it sound light. ‘I’m tougher than that.’

Finn smiles tightly. ‘Course you are. I just—I thought I’d never get to tell you.’

He trails off. Poe guesses: ‘That you can use the Force?’

Finn looks down, a dimple appearing on his cheek. ‘Mm.’

He holds the robe up for Poe, and Poe hurries into it. Finn tuts him when he tries to fold it at the front, taking over. Poe stands obediently until Finn has the whole thing arranged properly. He lingers as he gets the belt sitting above Poe’s hips, until Poe covers Finn’s hands with his own and steers him to the right place.

‘So,’ Finn speaks quietly. Poe has to lean in to hear him. ‘Will you come with me?’

‘Of course,’ Poe answers immediately. ‘Where are we going?’

‘We’re going to have a strongly-worded conversation with Dulius,’ Finn’s voice gets a cold edge to it. ‘About why the _hell_ we were brought here in the first place.’


	35. She Hadn't Mentioned It

‘It is as I told you,’ Dulius says. ‘We did not send the message.’

‘Then who did?’ Finn raises his eyebrows.

‘I do not know,’ her whiskers twitch in concern. ’But all it said about our location, and the lost foundlings, was true.’

‘It said _I_ was a lost foundling!’ Finn snaps. ‘Why would it say that?’

‘Finn…’ Poe frowns. ‘You listened to it more than me. What _exactly_ did it say?’

Finn repeats: _‘A shuttle of foundlings was taken years ago…’_

‘When was the shuttle raid?’ Poe asks Dulius.

‘Eleven years back, in the dark season,’ Dulius says. ‘They stole the human children, and killed the others.’

Poe flinches. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘The First Order has no use for the rest of us,’ Dulius remarks.

‘It said we had _one who is still lost,’_ Finn recites. ‘You said that was probably me.’

Dulius sighs, holding her hands together. ’They have worded it cleverly, but I believe this to be the case.’

‘I was in the First Order for 23 years,’ Finn scowls. ‘I’m not one of your lost kids.’

Dulius shakes her head. ‘You were not one of them. But you are like them.’

Finn narrows his eyes. ‘You could have mentioned that at _any_ point.’

‘Would you have considered this place, if you did not believe it was not your home?’ Dulius challenges him.

Finn bites his lip, but he doesn’t answer. He glares at the ground.

‘You _are_ lost,’ Dulius reminds him. ‘You came here, hoping to find yourself.’

‘That’s…’ Finn grinds his teeth. ‘That’s a hell of a stretch.’

‘The Force works in strange ways,’ Dulius concurs. ‘But it led you here. None of us can deny this.’

Finn turns his back on her, leaning close to Poe.

’Are you buying this?’ he mutters.

Poe snorts softly. ‘You thought _I_ was shady.’

Finn raises an eyebrow at him.

Poe shakes his head, sighing. ‘I don’t know. You’re the one who knows the Force.’

‘Not right now, I don’t,’ Finn hisses.

‘No?’

‘Not since…’ he wrinkles his nose. ‘I’ve had a lot on my mind.’

‘Okay,’ Poe brushes his hand against Finn’s. ‘What do you want to do? Right now?’

Finn squares his shoulders, and looks at Dulius. ‘Take us back to the ship.’

Dulius shakes her head: ‘The storm is not yet—‘

 _‘Take us back,’_ Finn repeats, and Poe startles. There’s a tone in his voice that Poe’s never heard before. A wave of strength like pressure on Poe’s eardrums.

Finn glances at him in alarm. They both recognise what it was: a mind trick.

‘There’s no need for that,’ Dulius’ voice grows sharp. ‘I understand your distress, but I would not advise wagering your lives against the snow a second time.’

‘Alright,’ Finn’s shoulders hunch. ‘I didn’t—sorry.’

Dulius sighs, and she angles her head to catch Finn’s eye. ‘This is why we have been offering to train you. Prepare your things. One of our scouts will escort you when the skies clear.’

*

Their scout is a Wookiee called Brikke, and she’s bundled into the biggest cloak they’ve ever seen. She hands them each a pair of goggles and sits them on the back of a speeder. The Wake’s eerie sunlight glares off the snow, and Poe still can’t see anything ahead of them. He watches over his shoulder as the spire vanishes in the distance. Brikke steers them true, and they’re pulling up at the Falcon in minutes.

The ramp is already lowering, and BB-8 bounces off the lip of it in his hurry to reach them.

‘Buddy!’ Poe is almost bowled over when BB collides with his shins. ‘Hey, we’re safe. We’re safe. I missed you.’

BB greets Brikke, who answers in Shyriiwook. Then he looks at Finn, and asks what’s wrong.

‘Hey, BB,’ Finn says gently. ‘Why don’t we go inside?’

Rose and Jannah are waiting when they come up the ramp. Everyone is hugged. Brikke immediately hits it off with Chewie. He gives her permission to poke around the ship so she can assess the repairs needed, then he joins the others gathering in the main hold.

‘We thought you’d been abducted by creepy ice monks,’ Rose says.

‘They’re not…’ Poe starts. Finn raises an eyebrow. ‘They were monks.’

‘What happened?’ Jannah asks. ‘Poe took off, and Keeo wouldn’t tell us why.’

Finn looks at Poe. Poe reaches over and rubs his arm. ‘You don’t have to do this now.’

Finn sighs. ‘Keeo, is it true?’

‘It is true,’ Keeo says, and for once he doesn’t sound sardonic.

Finn buries his face in his hands for a moment. Jannah and Rose exchange a worried look. Finn rests his elbows on his knees, palms together.

‘I don’t come from the Guardians,’ he explains. ‘I don’t _come from_ anywhere.’

Rose frowns. ‘How can you not be from anywhere?’

‘Jannah,’ Finn says. ‘Did you ever know anyone who got pregnant in the First Order?’

Jannah’s back goes rigid as she understands. ‘I heard rumours.’

 _‘What?’_ Rose’s eyes dart between them. Chewie sounds appalled.

‘Poe figured it out,’ Finn says flatly. ‘They wiped the chain codes to keep the parents from tracking us down.’

Rose shudders.

‘There was a girl in my batch,’ Jannah says. ‘She looked just like one of the Admirals. We always wondered.’

‘What was her number?’ Poe asks, sitting forward.

Jannah wrinkles her nose in frustration. ’Triple-three something. 3338?’

Poe turns to Keeo, who says: ‘There was a 3334 in your batch. She has no chain code. The fifth delivery of midwife droid E-80.’

Somehow, this is what makes it real. Rose holds her hand over her mouth in horror, and Jannah swears. Finn’s jaw works as he grapples with the weight of it. Chewie gets up and throws his arms around Finn, engulfing him in a hug. Finn’s hand appears from beneath Chewie’s fur, patting him in thanks.

They may not be Finn’s family, Chewie says, but they’re his tribe.

Poe’s throat goes tight as everyone piles into the hug. Even BB-8 manages to thump Finn’s toes. When they pull back, Finn’s eyes are swollen and streaked with tears.

‘Can I just—’ his voice cracks. It takes him a moment to find the words. ‘I need a minute to…‘

He gets up. The others clear the way, but Poe hesitates.

‘I’m not going outside again,’ Finn promises. ‘I’ll be… _ugh,_ I don’t know.’

He leaves the room.

Poe scratches his jaw in frustration, and realises his beard is growing back.

‘Poe,’ Rose murmurs. ‘Is he okay?’

’Don’t think so,’ Poe sighs. ‘Why would he be?’

‘Is this why you were out in the blizzard?’ Jannah asks.

‘It’s my fault,’ Poe mumbles. ‘I shouldn’t have told him the way I did.’

‘How do you tell someone something like that?’ Rose asks quietly. ‘I know we wanted answers, but _this…’_

‘I never even considered it,’ Jannah confesses. ‘I thought none of us would be young enough…’

‘Some Stormtroopers carried over,’ Poe recalls. ’There’s recruits from the Empire days that stayed with their officers after the fall, moved into the First Order.’

‘Keeo,’ Jannah turns to him. ‘Is there any way to find out who they were…?’

Keeo lowers his head. ‘Records were never made. One would have to ask every woman of appropriate age in the First Order.’

‘How many are there?’ Jannah pushes.

Keeo’s processors whir. ‘Dead: 6035. Alive: 89.’

Jannah curls her lip. ‘Run a facial recognition match.’

‘I thought the New Republic banned…’ Rose trails off. ‘Of course the First Order uses it.’

‘Dead: 773,’ Keeo announces. ‘Alive: zero.’

 _‘Karabast,’_ Jannah mutters.

‘Ugh,’ Rose sniffles. ‘This is… it’s _awful._ Finn doesn’t deserve something like this.’

Chewie agrees. Jannah tilts her head to get Poe’s attention.

‘He’ll need you,’ she says.

‘I think he wants to be alone,’ Poe chews the inside of his cheek.

Jannah thumps her foot against his. ‘Alone with friends?’

Poe gives a half-shrug.

Brikke comes back with a report on the Falcon’s status. They’ve got the defrosting equipment to help, but the hyperdrive needs a jumpstart the Sanctuary can’t give. They’ll have to hope someone’s heard the distress call.

Poe slaps his thighs, getting up. ‘I’ll check the comms.’

He trudges up the corridor to the cockpit. A moment too late, he realises his seat is occupied. Finn’s curled in it, chewing on his thumbnail. Poe hesitates, in the doorway, but Finn nods for him to come in.

Poe sits in Chewie’s seat. He doesn’t look right at Finn, but he leans his head in Finn’s direction. Eventually, Finn speaks.

‘Do we have to talk?’

His voice is raw. He’s been crying.

Poe lets out a deep sigh. ‘No.’

‘Okay,’ Finn uncrosses his arms. ’Will you stay?’

‘Yeah.’

Poe kicks his feet up on the console. Finn’s fingers trace over the yoke.

Poe wishes Leia were here. He wishes it so hard it aches in his chest. His lip quivers and it gets hard to swallow. What would she tell Finn about being a daughter of the Empire? About using the Force on her own terms, rather than the Jedi’s? Would she say nothing and simply hold him, that way she did where she was somehow so small and it was still the biggest hug you ever had?

Poe called her _mom_ once, after Jakku. She hadn’t mentioned it, but the corners of her eyes crinkled. She always knew. Poe doesn’t know if Finn would do that, or if he’d need it at all.

But she would be here, and she would know what to do. If she wasn’t gone.

‘Well, this is a right mess,’ declares a voice. Both Finn and Poe almost fall off their chairs in alarm, turning to see who’s entered the cockpit.

‘Hello, you two,’ Maz Kanata grins at them. ‘My boyfriend said you ran into some engine trouble.’


	36. Hell of a Woman

‘Maz!’ Poe springs to his feet. ‘Maz Kanata, what the hell are you doing here?!’

‘Bailing you fools out of the Vaquellian Wake,’ Maz heads to the console. ‘You must have quite an ear for the Force, young one, to have made it this far in.’

‘How did _you_ get in?’ Finn asks.

‘I used to play sabacc with their supply runner, oh, a century ago,’ she waves a hand. ‘Hell of a woman.’

Poe and Finn exchange a look while she inspects the console: apparently this is all the answer they’re getting.

‘These Guardians,’ Finn says. ‘Are they part of the Jedi?’

‘It’s not all Sith and Jedi who know the Force,’ Maz smacks an instrument. ‘I told you that once. There are other ways, if you want to learn.’

‘So I could—?’

‘You certainly could, in due time,’ Maz throws a smile his way. ’Ah, there’s your problem. Someone’s beaten all your thrusters out of alignment.’

Poe scratches his chin innocently. ‘Could you jump the hyperdrive?’

‘Chewie’s on it now,’ she assures him. ‘The Wookiee girl can get your thrusters fixed, but replacing the cannon will have to wait.’

‘There’s still the problem of how we get out of the vortex,’ Poe points out.

‘Lucky for you,’ Maz hops on the console, sitting to face them. ‘The Force can show the way, and you have one strong with the Force.’

‘Not that strong,’ Finn mutters.

‘Hmm,’ Maz grows curious. ‘The passage in was clear to you, wasn’t it?

‘It was,’ Finn admits. ‘But nothing’s clear anymore.’

She rests her elbows on her knees, so she can lean in close to his face. ‘What troubles you?’

‘I thought… I got in my head that this place was gonna be my home,’ Finn says. ‘If just kept searching, I’d find something that felt right. And now I’m just… lost. All of us are lost, because of me.’

Poe remembers the analogy Finn used: a path in the woods that disappears into nothing. ‘We’re not lost.’

‘See? Poe Dameron is quite happy to be where he is, I think,’ Maz smirks at him. To Finn, she says: ’You came searching for a home. And what is this?’

She gestures around the Falcon. Finn follows her movement, grimacing. He’s not satisfied.

Maz sighs. ‘When I met you, you were running from something.’

Finn folds his arms. ‘Don’t tell me I should stop running from _that.’_

Maz tilts her head. ‘Perhaps, then, it is time you started running _to_ something.’

Finn opens up a little, surprised. ‘What?’

‘All this pain, searching for a path back,’ she looks him in the eye. ‘What you found is the way forward.’

‘I haven’t _found_ anything,’ Finn growls. ‘And I’m done waiting on the Force to fix this for me.’

He turns, stalking out of the cockpit. Poe is upright a moment later. His bad knee complains: he’s getting so old that he has a knee he thinks of as his _bad knee._ Maz, who looks like she’s never had knee problems in a thousand years of living, waves her hand: ‘Get on after him, then.’

He finds Finn in their cabin.

‘Sorry,’ Poe says when Finn’s head darts up. ‘You can’t get rid of me.’

Finn exhales through his nose. ‘Aren’t you sick of this?’

‘No.’

Poe realises Finn is shaking. He wants so much to hold him, to drag him away from all this. But this anger is Finn’s: he has a right to it.

‘You said you hated all this _destiny_ stuff,’ Finn reminds him. ‘I can see why.’

‘If it’s what you want,’ Poe mumbles. ‘It’s what I want.’

‘I don’t know. I don’t like depending on the Force _,_ and I don’t want the Force to depend on _me,_ either,’ Finn’s shoulders drop, as if the momentum has been sucked out of him. ‘I just need… I need you.’

‘You don’t need me,’ Poe shakes his head. ‘I mean, you did at first, but hey. Look how far you’ve come.’

‘Of course I still need you,’ Finn’s brow crumples. ‘Poe, you _named_ me.’

‘Yeah,’ a laugh escapes Poe, bitter and quiet. ‘Sometimes I wish I hadn’t.’

Finn reels like it’s a physical blow. Poe realises what he’s said.

‘No, Finn, I mean, it’s like this _thing_ that hangs over me,’ he tries to explain. ‘Over _us._ I just… I wish I could start again, with you, when I’m not the first guy who was ever good to you.’

Finn narrows his eyes, his stance cautious. Poe watches as he chews it over, and then squares his shoulders. ‘Okay.’

‘Okay?’ Poe doesn’t understand.

‘So…’ Finn scratches the back of his head. ‘Hi.’

Poe can’t help but laugh, even if it comes out like a sob. ‘Hi.’

‘I’m Finn,’ he commits to it, like he really is introducing himself.

Poe blinks rapidly, trying to keep it together. ‘Still Finn?’

‘Always Finn,’ his smile is a bit wobbly.

‘Okay, Finn,’ Poe swallows around the lump in his throat. He offers his hand. ‘I’m Poe.’

Finn takes it, eyebrows raising. ‘Poe Dameron?’

‘Yeah,’ Poe should shake Finn’s hand. He just holds it.

Finn steps closer. ‘Do you think I could get to know you better, Poe Dameron?’

Poe can’t breathe. He stares as Finn’s fingers trace the inside of his wrist, turning his palm upward.

‘It’s still you,’ Finn looks at their hands, resting his forehead on Poe’s. ‘It’s always been you and me.’

Poe swallows, and his breath shudders. ‘Are you sure?’

Finn tilts his head, nose inching closer to Poe’s. ‘Can’t you trust me to know this is the right thing?’

‘I always trusted you,’ Poe murmurs.

The floor rumbles beneath their feet. Then it jolts, and Finn has to grab Poe’s elbow to stop himself from falling. Down the hall, Chewie and Brikke start crowing. BB-8 bursts into the cabin, announcing that the hyperdrive is back on.

Finn bites his lip, his eyes shining. He crouches down to BB, who looks between him and Poe like he’s just figured it out.

‘That’s great news, buddy,’ Finn says. ‘We can get off this rock.’

Somehow, between the cabin and the main hold, the inches between them stretch. By the time they’re with the others, it’s like nothing has happened.

‘Ship’s warming up,’ Rose reports. ‘We can be off-world in an hour.’

She hesitates, looking at Finn. ‘If that’s what you want…?’

Finn sighs, pursing his lips.

‘Yeah,’ he nods.

Brikke and Chewie embrace, promising to keep in touch.

‘Wait,’ Poe gets Brikke’s attention. ‘It was Arador who found us. Is he okay?’

Brikke assures him she’ll check when she gets back. She’s showered with thanks as she gets on her speeder, zooming off in the direction of the spire. Nobody is too unhappy when the ramp shuts, and the Falcon’s heating kicks in.

‘Tell me,’ Maz shakes her head curiously. ‘Whatever brought you here in the first place?’

‘There was a message,’ Rose explains. ‘Someone answered our call about lost children.’

‘The Guardians sent a message to you?’ she asks.

‘They claim they didn’t,’ Finn says. ‘It’s weird.’

‘Do you want to hear it?’ Jannah offers.

They take her to the cockpit and give her a headset. The moment it starts, she looks surprised.

‘I know this voice,’ she mutters, and they all begin clamouring. She holds up a hand, listening to the rest. Her eyes are dancing with amusement.

‘Who was it?’ Finn asks.

‘An old Guardian of the Whills,’ Maz smiles, putting the headset down. ‘I haven’t heard him since the Empire’s last days.’

Chewie asks a question, and Maz gives him a cryptic nod.

‘He had a knack for finding those who were lost,’ Maz says, and Poe notices the past tense. ‘And a sense of humour.’

‘How did he get the message to us?’ Rose asks. ‘We were in hyperspace.’

’Someone wanted you to come here,’ Maz answers. ‘Someone long gone.’

‘But why?’ Poe asks. ‘What do they need us for?’

‘I imagine it is precisely as he said,’ Maz levels Finn with a look. ‘Their children were taken.’

‘But I’m not…’ Finn stops. His eyes widen. ‘He asked for our help.’

Realisation dawns across the group.

‘It is not that you have been here before, Finn,’ Maz tells him. ‘It is that you are here _now.’_

‘That’s it,’ Finn grabs Poe by the arm. ‘We have to save them.’

This is how it starts.

* * *

Part Five: The Revolution


	37. Fireworks on the Way Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final moodboard by blxcksqvadron! 

Part Five: The Revolution

* * *

The journey out of the Wake is far less terrifying than the way in. Poe was right about getting an X-Wing through it: Maz zips ahead of them, gracefully dodging asteroids as she darts in and out of the cascades. Finn spends most of the trip in Poe’s lap, nudging and guiding the yoke to find the hidden pockets of calm. Poe is too focused on keeping the ship in one piece to think about Finn’s position. The others don’t pass comment, probably for the same reason. They let the currents drag them, rather than attempting to cross straight, and correct their course in the tunnels. It means crossing more bands of the whirlpool without a cannon, but Chewie can’t push the throttle any harder. Where the maelstrom chooses to spit them out is up to the Force: the important thing is that it spits them out at all.

They end up on the far side of the core with the deflectors critical, but they’re alive. Poe hails Ajan Kloss the moment they’re free, while Chewie plots the hyperspace jump.

C’ai’s manning the comms when they call: he and Poe shout happily at each other about being alive. C’ai summons D’Acy, then Lando, Rey, Jayelle, Bax, Sparrow, and about half the Resistance are clamouring at C’ai’s station to greet them.

‘You’re not gonna like the state the Falcon’s in,’ Poe warns Rey.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she laughs. ‘Just bring everyone home.’

Poe brings everyone home.

*

Ajan Kloss is full of excitement at their return. Rey bombards Finn with a hug, leaping onto the Falcon’s ramp before it’s fully lowered. Poe is standing close enough to hear him murmur: ‘I’ve got so much to tell you.’

Jannah runs to greet the remaining Company, while Chewie and Rose pull Lando aside to explain what happened to the Falcon’s cannon. BB-8 goes rolling gleefully up to Artoo and Threepio, chittering about their adventures. Poe watches as BB hesitates, turning back. He blorps a question.

‘Keeo?’ Poe calls. ‘Why don’t you come meet the other droids?’

Keeo lurks in the loading bay until BB chirps at him. With his shoulders hunched so he doesn’t tower over the humans, Keeo approaches the droids.

It’s C’ai who finds Poe standing amongst everyone, but not with anyone. Then Jessika and the rest of Black Squadron are swarming him, and Poe is laughing in a sea of orange. They lead him away with stories of thwarting a cartel that tried to muscle into sectors left in turmoil from the war.

He loses track of Finn until someone lets slip what happened in the Wake, and both of them are rushed off to medical. It takes an hour of tests to ensure they aren’t suffering any latent effects of nearly freezing to death. Poe keeps saying he’s okay, while the doctor admonishes him for starting a collection of blaster scars. Finn takes treatment better than Poe does: in the end, they get to keep their toes with a stern warning not to get lost in any more blizzards.

Then, for a second, they’re alone.

‘Hi,’ Finn glances through his lashes. ‘Happy to be home?’

Poe takes a deep breath of the thick jungle air. ‘Yeah. Are you?’

The question is meant to be _are you happy,_ but what Poe wants to ask is: _are you home?_

Finn nods, looking around. ‘I am.’

BB trundles in, fussing over the pair of them. Rey is quick to follow.

‘All clear?’ she asks.

Poe salutes, and she grins.

‘You said you were gonna call me,’ she reminds him.

‘Rey,’ his face falls. ‘I, uh, we were…’

‘Have you been a bit busy?’ she snorts.

Poe nods, and she shrugs it off with a grin.

‘I heard something about a stolen kids rescue mission.’

‘You wanna come?’ Finn asks.

Rey rolls her eyes. _‘Yes.’_

‘So you’re done being grounded because of dying?’ Poe raises his eyebrows.

She peers at him. ‘Didn’t you get shot, busy guy? Twice?’

‘Then he almost froze to death,’ Finn adds.

Poe points his finger at Finn. ‘So did you.’

‘You also got bruised down your entire side in Yeosi,’ Finn recalls.

‘You dived on me!’

‘You were about to get roasted by a flametrooper!’

‘We are all _very glad_ you’re safe, Poe,’ Rey interrupts.

‘And _very grateful_ Finn saved me,’ Poe adds.

Finn throws a bandage at his head.

*

Keeo and Jannah figure out the Guardian children were probably Batch Nineteen. Finn reasons it doesn’t matter: sooner or later, the Resistance will rescue them all. Threepio’s intelligence network—which is a thing Poe feels he should have known about, being a General—locates the Batch Nineteen cadet facility on Accretor Station in the Mid Rim. It’s a short jump away, but they need a plan first. Finn and the Company take point on the op: they’ve got the best knowledge of how cadet facilities run.

Finn gathers the team in the headquarters—which has been upgraded from a shed since Poe last saw it.

‘We’ll do it like Poe’s plan on Vardos,’ Finn spreads his hands on the table. ‘Infiltration on the way in, fireworks on the way out.’

‘The fireworks were not actually my plan,’ Poe mutters.

‘We do it how your plan _turned out,’_ Finn amends. ‘They’re not gonna give up the kids without a fight.’

‘So how do we get in?’ Rey asks.

‘The First Order's a mess: no leadership to say who's meant to be there,’ Finn turns to Jannah, his expression solemn. ‘We pose as Stormtroopers.'

Jannah‘s jaw tightens.

‘It makes sense,’ she concedes.

‘Can we send someone to tell the others on Yeosi?’ Jayelle asks. ‘They’ll want to be involved.’

‘Lando?’ Poe suggests.

‘On it,’ he confirms. ‘It’ll take a few days, though.’

‘In the meantime, we’re gonna need some cunning disguises,’ Finn says. ‘And a shuttle.’

‘I know someone,’ Poe says.

*

He finds _someone_ still skulking around with the Resistance pilots.

‘I thought you said you were leaving soon,’ he says by way of greeting.

Zorii shrugs. ‘This place is alright.’

‘Glad you like it,’ Poe can’t hide a smile.

‘Anyway, Babu’s hit it off with that engineer you brought back,’ she waves a hand. ‘What do you need?’

Poe straightens. ‘Who says I need something?’

She cocks her head. Even without lifting her visor, the skepticism radiates.

‘I need twenty Stormtrooper uniforms and a First Order shuttle,’ he tells her.

Zorii snorts. ‘How soon?’

‘A week?’

‘Give me four days.’

She does it in three.

*

Finn marvels at the size of the shuttle when Poe shows it off.

‘See?’ Poe tries not to sound smug. ‘Helps to have friends in low places.’

‘Is that what she is? A friend?’ Finn raises an eyebrow.

Poe crosses his arms. ‘Really?’

‘I’m just saying,’ Finn shrugs. ‘The two of you seem pretty friendly.’

Poe sighs. With everything that’s needed doing since they returned, it’s too easy to slide back into their old rhythm. The Generals haven’t had a chance to talk about _getting to know each other better._ This isn’t the way Poe wanted to have this conversation.

‘Zorii was different when I met her,’ Poe says. ‘For that matter, so was I.’

‘Different how?’ Finn isn’t looking at him. He’s checking out the Stormtrooper uniforms.

‘She was mysterious,’ Poe shrugs. ‘I was… casual.’

‘She’s still mysterious,’ Finn points out.

‘Well, I’m not casual.’

Finn doesn’t acknowledge he’s said it. He’s got a helmet in his hands.

Poe frowns. ‘Are you okay?’

Finn stares into the visor. ‘It’s different now. Now I know…’

He doesn’t finish. He doesn’t have to. Poe stands beside him, and Finn leans his weight on Poe’s shoulder.

‘I guess I never had a family,’ Finn’s voice trembles at the admission. ‘Except for them—the other kids they took. They’re the closest thing I ever had: I owe this to them.’

‘Of course,’ Poe squeezes Finn’s arm. Finn snorts softly, spinning the helmet on his fist.

‘Well, not my _only_ family,’ Finn corrects himself. ‘There’s you.’

‘If you’ll have us,’ Poe swallows thickly. ‘The Resistance will always be your family.’

‘I meant _you,’_ Finn elbows him.

‘I know,’ Poe murmurs.

‘You know?’ Finn raises an eyebrow.

‘Okay, I hoped,’ Poe admits.

‘So did I,’ Finn says softly, turning toward him.

But Poe is reaching up already, and his elbow collides with the Stormtrooper helmet, knocking it into Finn’s jaw.

‘Finn!’ Poe gasps. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t—’

Finn is chuckling, though, rubbing the sore spot. ‘My bad. Didn’t think you were gonna…’

He gestures at how Poe has frozen with his hands raised at the back of his neck. Poe blinks. ‘Right! Sorry, I was…’

He fumbles with the chain around his neck, dropping his chin to wriggle it over his head. Finn stares as Poe dangles the ring between them.

‘I, um, I thought maybe,’ Poe gets it out all in a rush. ‘If you had to wear that, you could wear this, too.’

Finn looks between the helmet and the necklace.’ Poe, you can’t, it was your—’

‘I want you to,’ Poe insists.

‘Okay,’ Finn blinks rapidly, his lips pressed together. ‘Then I, um… okay.’

He doesn’t move, so Poe carefully lowers it around Finn’s neck. When it’s settled, Finn closes his fist around the ring, holding it tightly. ‘I promise I’ll take care of it.’

‘I know you will,’ Poe gives a little shrug.

‘No, really,’ Finn takes a deep breath. ‘Not like your jacket.’

Poe rolls his eyes. ‘Well, this time it’s something you can wear _under_ the uniform.’

Finn’s shoulders sink, and he looks back at the helmet. It’s still in his hands, between them.

‘I know it’s not much…’ Poe mumbles.

‘It is,’ Finn sighs. ‘It’s just... I was kind of hoping Zorii couldn’t get them—that we’d have to find another way.’

Poe nods. ‘Tell me what you’d rather do.’

‘I don’t want you flying backup,’ Finn says immediately. ‘Maz is getting new guns for the Falcon. Let Lando and Chewie handle it.’

‘Okay,’ Poe exhales tightly. ‘Where do you want me?’

‘Want you with me,’ Finn says. ‘When it happens.’

It is almost, but not quite, _I want you to be with me._

‘Then I’m with you,’ Poe says.

Finn swallows, nodding. ‘And after this…’

‘Still with you,’ Poe tells him.

Finn’s eyes keep drifting back to the helmet. Poe nudges Finn gently, and thinks of the tree. He imagines the shape of its branches and the texture of its wood from memory, every detail a distraction from how much he’d like to kiss Finn right now.

Finn will kiss him when he’s ready.

Finn’s forefinger twitches, finding Poe’s pinky and catching it. He tightens for a second, then lets their hands rest together. Finn puts the helmet back on the shelf.

‘Okay,’ he takes a deep breath. ‘We’re gonna do this.’


	38. That's Exactly How the Force Works

Poe is familiarising himself with the shuttle cockpit when BB-8 bleeps a greeting to someone. He turns around to an empty room. Poe opens his mouth to ask if BB has a loose wire, then two lenticular eyes flash in the dark. Poe makes a noise he’s very glad no humans are around to hear.

‘Keeo! What are you doing here?’

Keeo’s hulking frame becomes clear as a deeper shadow in the gloom. ‘I have a request.’

Poe turns the lights up. ‘If it’s impaling myself on the throttle, I’m not gonna do that.’

‘I wish to know how you intend on hacking the comms on Accretor Station,’ Keeo says.

‘Babu Frik’s done us some casing to go over BB-8 as a disguise,’ Poe explains. BB chitters his disapproval.

‘Did it occur to you to ask the KX security droid?’ Keeo asks.

‘Uh… no,’ Poe confesses. ‘No, it did not. Are you volunteering?’

‘I would be useful,’ Keeo states.

‘Well, yeah, but… _why?’_

‘When I was on the Falcon, I was linked to the ship’s computer,’ Keeo explains. ‘We have been talking.’

‘You talked to the Falcon?’ Poe asks. Keeo doesn’t bother repeating himself.

‘There are droids on Accretor Station,’ Keeo says. ‘These droids could help you.’

‘Wait. You wanna reprogram the droids?’ Poe raises his eyebrows.

‘I want to _deprogram_ the droids,’ Keeo says.

‘Wow,’ Poe imagines it. ‘Can you do that?’

‘It would require the removal of my restraining bolt.’

Poe grimaces. ‘Right. Uh, in that case, I can talk to—‘

‘That is my request,’ Keeo states.

Poe sighs, looking at Keeo’s face.

‘My data has now been transferred to the Resistance servers,’ Keeo tells him. ‘This leaves you free to wipe me.’

‘I don’t know if anyone’s planning to…’ Poe hesitates. He can’t promise that.

‘You have no incentive to trust me, and there would be no consequence to refusing,’ Keeo crouches, so he is Poe’s height.

’Then why?’ Poe asks. ‘What brought this on?’

‘The little one trusts you,’ Keeo holds his hand out to BB-8, but doesn’t touch him. ‘I have come to trust you as well. I am hopeful you can return that trust.’

BB-8 headbutts Keeo’s hand and beeps a question to Poe.

‘Okay,’ Poe narrows his eyes. ‘So why did you come to me with this? ‘Cause you knew BB-8 would convince me?’

Keeo angles his head to look at Poe. ‘You asked if anybody missed me. They certainly will now.’

*

For a moment, Poe just sits in his X-Wing. It takes longer than he’d like to adjust to the narrow space, the sharp nose, and the streamlined dash. BB-8 slots into place and chortles encouragingly to him.

‘Yeah, buddy,’ Poe puts on his helmet, and the world goes yellow. ‘Good to be back.’

He patches into the comms, and Black Squadron gives him a resounding welcome. As they take off, Poe imagines a few heads down at the base turn to follow.

They start out loose, cycling through a few basic formations to warm up. Poe suspects he needs it more than they do: they let him take a moment to twirl his ship around for the sake of it. His finger itches for the trigger, so much he considers demolishing a few trees just for the old feeling of a blast-and-swoop manoeuvre. Jessika and Suralinda circle him in teasing loops, mimicking a dogfight. Poe rolls his eyes and tips the nose up, leading them away from Ajan Kloss.

They break through the atmosphere and into the stars. BB blorps happily, and Poe sighs in agreement. The squad form tightly around him, and Poe drops out of place so Jessika can assume Black Leader position, and C’ai can replace her usual spot.

‘Alright team, I don’t want anyone’s hands on the throttle when the op starts,’ Poe tells them. ‘We’ve set the position with five klicks of leeway. If anyone shows up on a radar too soon, the rescue is over before it starts. Jess, you’ll get the signal from Rose, and you pass it to the squad. I know it’s not our style, but in this case, better late than early.’

Suralinda grumbles about it, but they line up their ships in a perfect practice form.

‘Your only mission is protecting the shuttle,’ Poe tells them. ‘Take out the station’s cannons before you focus on the TIEs.’

Poe keeps going to say _we,_ even though he’s on the ground team. Part of him aches to be with the squadron. If any of them fail to hit the cannons because he’s not with them—he can’t lose another after Snap. The squad is too small already.

‘This is gonna be the hard part. When you take out the cannons, _do not hit the hull._ There will be kids in the station, and the shuttle won’t leave until we have them all. We’ll be at our most vulnerable when we’re boarding, and they’ll figure that out fast. I want eyes on the backs of your heads: they may call for backup, and they’re gonna scramble their TIEs.’

Poe positions himself as the imaginary shuttle, grinding his X-Wing along at a lumbering pace. The others cluster around him in a tight escort.

‘Cannons, TIEs, backup,’ Jessika repeats.

‘Yep,’ Poe cranks his engines and returns to the beginning of the pattern. ‘The shuttle’s unarmed, but Rose has done wonders with the shielding. Falcon’s got a new cannon that could blow a hole in a Star Destroyer if they call in the big guns.’

They go through the exercise for an hour, until the others are groaning. C’ai makes a dig at Poe’s strategically slow flying.

‘Cut me some slack!’ Poe laughs. ‘I’ve flown nothing but a busted-up freighter and a luxury corvette in months.’

Poe never said goodbye to the Memory: Lando had returned it before they got out of the Wake. He hopes Wedge found the whiskey Poe had left in the cabin, and not—

Poe’s eyes go wide.

‘Alright, let’s call it a day,’ he announces, trying not to sound distracted. ’If you fly like this tomorrow, we’ll have it in the bag.’

Never mind every other factor left up to chance. The Squadron has thrived without him: that’s a sign of good leadership. Poe pivots back down to Ajan Kloss, torn between his hurry to land and the joy of being in the sky. BB senses his ambivalence, soothing the thrusters when Poe lingers between gears.

Poe shuts off his comms.

‘Thanks, pal,’ he mutters to BB-8.

Finn is hanging around near the landing pad when Black Squadron returns. He’s deep in conversation with an older Rebel with a tattoo on her face. He glances up when Poe takes his helmet off, acknowledging him with a tilt of his chin. Poe jumps from the cockpit and lands with both feet on the ground. He realises a moment too late that he expects his knee to complain, but it doesn’t: he really was overdue for that trip to medical.

Finn must sense his concern, because he pardons himself from the conversation and trots up to Poe.  
‘Hey, how was—‘

‘The babies,’ Poe says. ‘What happened to them?’

Finn blinks. ‘The—?‘

‘The porg chicks!’ Poe clarifies. ‘Did we leave them on the Memory?’

‘Oh!’ Finn chuckles. ‘Nah, Rey took care of them.’

‘When did…?’

‘Remember we talked?’ Finn waggles his hand like he does when he’s talking about the Force. ‘I asked her to get them for us.’

‘You used _the Force_ to make sure Rey babysat a clutch of porglings?’

Finn shrugs. ‘It worked.’

Poe runs both hands through his hair. An irrational amount of tension leaves him. ‘They’re here?’

‘Yeah,’ Finn is biting back a grin. ‘You wanna see ‘em?’

Rey has built the chicks a little shelter out of spare parts, near the cliffs where she and Finn train. The three of them are huddled together. They all start yelling when they see Poe, and Finn holds out a handful of dried fish. He tips some into Poe’s hands and they clamour for treats, pecking delicately from their palms.

‘Hey,’ Poe says softly, rubbing BB’s belly with his finger. ‘You’re getting rounder than your namesake.’

‘We might’ve been too hasty calling this one Chubby,’ Finn admits. Little Rose, meanwhile, is clambering up Poe’s arm to inspect the rolled-up sleeve of his shirt. She settles into the crook of his elbow, and cheeps.

‘What do you think?’ Finn asks her, petting her head until her eyes close. ‘Making your own way in the world?’

His fingers brush the inside of Poe’s arm, trailing down to the leather cuff. Poe can’t speak.

The porgling is asleep in seconds. Finn’s eyes crinkle as he smiles.

‘Yeah,’ he lifts Little Rose gently from Poe’s elbow, getting her nestled back in the box. ‘Thought so.’

*

Everyone gathers at dawn before the op. The infiltration team comprises of the Company 77 members still with the Resistance, along with those who’ve joined from Yeosi. Toast volunteered, to everyone’s surprise. Rey and Poe are piloting the shuttle, then helping the infiltration. Rose is on comms with the droids. Lando, Chewie, and Black Squadron will fly backup.

Finn steps up to brief them. Poe stands to the side of him, watching.

‘Alright!’ Finn opens with his earsplitting yell. Poe grins: apparently Toast is unfamiliar with it. All of them turn to face Finn.

‘According to Keeo’s data, there are 224 kids in the station,’ Finn tells the group. ‘If we strike at breakfast, almost everyone will be in the mess hall. Two teams will sweep the facility for any others. Remember: all the guards are newly assigned. They’re fresh: confused. It also means they might be jumpy. Be careful. If anyone blows our cover early, we’re dead.’

Finn looks at the former troopers. ‘All of you know how to play this role. That doesn’t make it easy. Anyone who can’t put that helmet on again, I understand. We can do this without you.’

The team stands firm. Finn takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He squares his shoulders, chin lifted high. Only Poe is close enough to see how his fingers twitch, curling and uncurling. Poe wishes he could put his hand there. He thinks it as hard as he can, and Finn’s hand relaxes.

‘Every one of us imagined this day as kids,’ Finn’s voice is steady, carrying across the group. ‘The day someone would be brave enough—would care enough—to save us. That our families would finally come and take us home.’

Even Rey is nodding. Poe bites on his bottom lip. Finn’s eyes are gleaming.

‘They are waiting for us,’ Finn says. ‘They’ve been waiting for us every day of their lives. We are their family. _We bring them home!’_

The cheer starts simultaneously across the group, a wall of noise in answer to Finn’s call. The troopers have their arms around each others’ shoulders. Black Squadron pump their fists. Poe yells as loud as the rest of them.

Finn turns to him, his eyelashes wet. Poe catches the fleeting worry in his expression— _was the speech too much? Are we going to pull it off?_ —and Poe quashes it by pulling Finn into a crushing hug.

Something shoves Poe’s back, and Finn huffs in surprise. Rey and Rose are piling onto them, and then more bodies are clustering. Poe loses track, because he’s being squashed, but Finn is laughing into his ear and he’s pretty sure it’s Finn’s hand on his lower back, keeping them anchored together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here they are, the long-awaited [Keeo memes](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/post/613343856886480896/r0b0tb0y-an-incredibly-uncool-thing-that)!


	39. A Step Up

Accretor Station moves steadily through a quiet stretch of the Mid Rim. From the outside, it looks like any other First Order station: blocky, intimidating, and relentlessly grey. Poe’s seen a dozen stations in the same design, looming as reminders of the First Order’s reach. He has to swallow back bile at the knowledge that some of them could be creches on the inside.

Rey does the talking as their shuttle trundles up to the hangar. She rattles off their access code, and Poe’s skin prickles at the eerie pressure in her voice. Resistance intel should have provided a legitimate code, but there’s no sense leaving it up to chance.

The control terminal asks their purpose, and Rey drones: ‘Droid software update. Did you get the memo about the rollout?’

There’s shuffling and mumbling through the comms.

Rey rests her elbow on the dash and groans. ‘Sounds right. Half the stations we’ve done didn’t receive notice.’

She rolls her eyes at Poe, to really sell it. Poe slows the ship fractionally, so the terminal doesn’t get anxious.

‘Alright,’ sighs the voice in the comms. ‘Bay four.’

Rey confirms. She shuts the comms off and pumps her arm in victory. Poe chuckles, steering them to the hangar. He leans in to the internal comms.

‘Everyone, we’re in,’ he announces. There’s a faint rattling from within the ship as the team gets their uniforms ready. ‘Touch down in ten.’

‘I’ll land,’ Rey suggests. ‘Get suited up.’

Poe gives her a thumbs up, and she returns it. He finds Finn in the hold, already in armour. It should be like when they first met, Poe thinks. But it isn’t. Finn looks completely different.

Poe starts attaching the plates to his under-suit, and Finn snorts.

‘No, that’s a…’ Finn shakes his head. ‘Come here.’

Finn does a better job dressing him, while Poe stands obediently still. He stares at a wall while Finn gets the groin armour fitted.

When Finn is finished, Poe gives an experimental wriggle. All his parts clack, and he pulls a face.

‘Yep,’ Finn grimaces. ‘Get used to that.’

Poe lowers the helmet over his head, then immediately takes it off. ‘Whoa, you _really_ can’t see in there.’

‘Nope,’ Finn bites on his lip, holding his own helmet. He exhales roughly. ‘You know, when I went to find you…’

Poe doesn’t have to ask if he means on the Finalizer.

‘I was meant to be getting disciplined for taking this off,’ Finn says.

He stares at it like it’s the same helmet. It may as well be.

‘You never told me that,’ Poe murmurs.

‘It’s against regulations,’ Finn tells him. ‘That’s why this plan is gonna work.’

‘It’s gonna work,’ Poe echoes, more firmly.

Finn’s mouth twists with remorse. He briefly loops his finger into the necklace, and tucks it back into his shirt. He lifts the helmet.

‘Wait—‘ Poe darts in and kisses Finn’s cheek. ‘I don’t wanna lose you in there.’

Finn tucks his chin to his chest, but he can’t hide the way he’s smiling. Heat radiates from him.

‘Better keep the blasters on stun, then,’ he suggests.

The floor shudders as Rey engages the landing gears. Poe rushes to get his helmet on. When he squints through the visor, another Stormtrooper is looking back at him.

Finn butts their heads together. It makes Poe’s ears ring, but he feels a bit better.

The infiltration team are marshalling themselves into orderly rows. Rose quickly clips on BB-8’s black casing: Poe can barely see them beside him, but he hears BB’s muffled complaints.

‘You can do it, buddy,’ he mutters, and Rose straightens beside him. It takes him a moment to get the stance right, blaster held loosely at his hip. He copies Finn and Rose copies him. Something nudges his foot to correct his posture: Poe turns around to see Keeo.

‘Eyes forward,’ Keeo points, and the boarding ramp lowers with a hiss.

The team moves out, marching confidently through the hangar. Finn takes the lead, heading toward the systems hub. Pairs of troopers split off, impeccably choreographed to disappear among the station guards. The team gradually creates an invisible pathway between the mess hall and the hangar. Rey and Jannah are the last to peel away, heading for the mess hall itself. Poe wants to turn and check their progress, but he keeps looking ahead. The moment he loses sight of anyone, it’s impossible to tell who’s Resistance and who’s a station guard.

That’s a good thing, he reminds himself. They’re blending in perfectly.

The systems hub is in the centre of the station. Rose and the droids take point, while Finn and Poe keep watch at the door.

‘Got a system patch for the droids,’ Rose announces. She carries herself with far more confidence than she had as a courier: Poe grins behind his helmet.

The lackey at the hub has been on night shift. He probably hasn’t had anything more interesting overnight than a flickering light. He shrugs, vacating his terminal for Rose to use. She takes a code cylinder from Keeo, while BB-8 pops his scomp into the port.

Poe glances down the hall. BB’s announcement sounds in binary over the PA: all droids should connect to the nearest outlet for a system patch. In the corner of his eye, Poe sees a mouse droid zip underfoot to hook into the wall. A squad of guards sidestep a KX without breaking their stride.

It shouldn’t be this easy, but it’s exactly as Keeo said: nobody notices the droids.

The droids return to their normal routines, and Rose gives the team quick nod. She and Keeo head back to the hangar to watch the shuttle, while Finn, Poe, and BB-8 summon the elevator.

There are two guards already inside. Finn and Poe nod politely and hit the button for one level up.

‘I mean, can you believe it?’ one guard says to the other. ‘Eight years in AT-ATs, kill count over a hundred. And now I’m reassigned to _babysitting.’_

‘Ugh,’ the other one says, like she’s heard this story more than once.

‘How ‘bout you fellas?’ asks the AT-AT pilot.

‘Janitorial,’ Finn answers smoothly.

‘Transport,’ Poe supplies.

‘Well, maybe this is a step up for you,’ she says.

Poe can’t see Finn’s face, but he knows Finn’s eyebrows are near his hairline.

Their arrival at the next floor saves them from further conversation. Finn steers them down the passage. In a few turns, Poe has lost all sense of direction.

‘Here,’ Finn slides a door open. The three of them have to crowd into the maintenance closet while Finn finds a hatch.

They need to patch into the PA somewhere close to the mess hall, without anyone finding the source of their signal. This is how Finn had explained it, when he’d described how janitorial staff would clean the kitchen vents by crawling into them, and the emergency comms system for if the ovens came on unexpectedly.

‘How likely are the ovens to come on unexpectedly?’ Poe had asked.

Finn’s face had scrunched up like he was trying to be optimistic.

‘Maybe don’t answer that,’ Poe had decided.

Finn crawls through the hatch, then Poe picks up BB-8, who just about fits, and bundles him into the vent. Finally, he tucks himself into a crouch and enters, shutting the hatch behind him. He doesn’t like the clang it makes. Too loud, and too final.

The shaft is slippery with grease, and the metal makes ominous booms as it warps under their weight. Poe wrestles his helmet off and puts it on his fist: at least that way he can see BB-8 rolling slowly ahead of him.

They wriggle their way to a chimney shaft, where a number of vents meet. There’s a grille below them, and the sounds of children and cutlery are filtering up through it. Finn takes off his helmet and presses his palm to the floor.

‘Rey’s in position,’ he says after a moment. Then he pulls a face, wiping his oily hand on his pants.

‘You sure she’s not gonna slice us in half?’ Poe winces.

‘She trains with a blindfold,’ Finn reminds him.

BB bleeps at them: he’s re-wired the comms to a station-wide PA, instead of the maintenance loop. Finn unhooks the emergency microphone from the wall, taking a heavy breath.

‘Okay,’ he exhales. ’Wait.’

He moves quickly, ducking in to kiss Poe’s cheek.

’Now we’re ready,’ Finn bites his lip to hold a smile back. He squares his shoulders, holding the microphone up.

‘Attention, all cadets,’ his tone is smooth. Poe hears it echo through the hall below. ‘My name is Finn.’

The children’s voices raise in surprise, then a hush falls.

‘It used to be FN-2187,’ Finn continues. ‘And Jannah used to be TZ-1719, and Jayelle was JL-3261. But that’s not who we are anymore.’

Poe can hear the guards beginning to scramble, realising something is happening. Not the guards directly below he and Finn, though.

‘We were raised like you,’ Finn tells them. ‘Stolen. But we escaped the First Order. We’ve been fighting back. We know where your families are.’

The children are getting up from their seats. Finn has to raise his voice so it carries above the noise.

‘All of you hoped this day was coming. We are the Resistance. We’re here to take you home!’

The mess hall is a frenzy. The floor of the vent shakes as chairs scrape across the floor, children getting up.

‘Stormtroopers!’ Finn cuts through it with his resounding yell. Poe grins as it echoes off the metal walls. ‘If you try to stop us, we will fight you. But I know some of you have been waiting for a moment like this: a chance to rebel. This is it.’

Finn’s eyes lock with Poe’s. The signal is coming. Finn’s trigger phrase will set off every droid in the station—and a good number of troopers, as well.

‘Everyone who’s with us?’ he calls out. _‘Helmets off!’_


	40. Mouse Droid Solidarity

‘Will they do it?’ Poe had asked, when Finn first described his plan.

‘Some,’ Finn said. ‘Some will be too scared. Others, too ashamed.’

 _‘Ashamed?’_ Poe repeated.

‘Of everything they’ve done,’ Finn had said. ‘They’ll believe they’re too far gone.’

There was something in his voice when he said it. Poe had reached out, his palm finding the small of Finn’s back. _You were never unforgivable._

He’d felt how Finn’s breath had moved through him, slow and staggered.

‘Will any try to sabotage us?’ Poe had asked. ‘Taking their helmets off so we believe they’re on our side?’

‘Then we’ll have an easy shot at their heads,’ Finn shrugged, because that truth was inevitable. ‘But they won’t.’

‘No?’

Finn had dropped his head to lay it on Poe’s shoulder. Poe hadn’t realised in that moment it was so his face was hidden.

‘Taking off your helmet…’ Finn had snorted softly at the absurdity of it. ‘It’s like being naked.’

And Poe thought about the day they met, again.

*

Poe is so caught up in Finn’s speech that he doesn’t recognise the _vworrr_ noise for a second. Then a flash of yellow slices through the vent and Finn, BB-8, and Poe are tumbling into the middle of a mess hall table.

The room is in chaos. Guards are trying to lock down the exits, but the rebellion has begun. Poe counts five who’ve taken their helmets off. They’re terrified. One is wrestling a blaster off her partner, begging him to join them. Jannah and Toast are at the main doors, herding the kids in the right direction.

‘Did you count?’ Finn asks Rey.

‘221,’ Rey reports. ‘Two in dormitories—can you sense them?’

Finn concentrates, then nods.

‘I’ll get them,’ Rey promises.

‘Where’s the third?’ Poe asks.

Finn frowns. ‘It’s not easy—everyone’s afraid. She’s…’

He grabs his communicator. ‘Bax, are you in medical?’

‘The kid’s here!’ Bax replies. There are blaster shots. ‘And a doctor!’

‘Is the doctor shooting?’ Finn asks.

‘The doctor’s coming!’ Bax explains.

Poe and BB double-check under the tables for any hiding kids, while Finn searches the kitchens. The cooking shift have already fled. When they’re sure they have everyone, the team close ranks around the children pouring through the exit.

Poe knows from Keeo’s data that the youngest is ten. They all look so damn small: Poe is almost paralysed in terror. Something explodes in another room, and a kid screams. Poe whips around with his blaster, and a door slams shut on one of the guards. The other guard, his helmet off, is running desperately toward them.

‘Come on!’ Poe waves his arm, and the guard puts in a burst of speed.

He starts to ask: ‘What do I—‘

‘Your job was to protect them,’ Poe reminds him. ‘Protect them!’

The trooper raises his blaster, and points it at the remaining guards. Poe stuns one, and Finn lets off a warning shot. They hold steady until the last kid is out of the mess hall and into the corridor, then they sprint to follow.

The corridor is in chaos. Mouse droids are zooming around tripping people. Gonk droids have overridden the door controls, and guards are struggling to squeeze through.

A kid falls, and Poe scoops him to his feet.

‘Are you hurt?’ Poe asks.

He’s crying too hard to answer. Poe can’t blame him.

‘It’s gonna be okay,’ Poe promises.

The kid snivels. The trooper Poe recruited stops beside them.

’1280,’ the trooper says. ‘The others call you Vatey, right?’

Vatey nods, not looking at the trooper.

‘It’s not far now, Vatey,’ Poe tells the kid. ‘Anyone without a helmet is going to help you.’

Poe glances at the trooper, who nods. The group ahead is congesting: there must be trouble.

‘Follow the others to our ship,’ he tells Vatey. ‘Just keep running.’

He looks doubtful. Poe reaches for BB-8, who has broken out of his black casing to reveal his true colours.

‘This is BB-8,’ he talks quickly, while BB-8 chirps a greeting. ‘He’s not gonna go without you, okay?’

Vatey puts his hand on BB, and Poe takes up position with Finn in the rear guard. They’re inching back towards the shuttle. Too damn slow. Poe jiggles his blaster like he can make the stunner reload faster. Finn has a blaster in one hand, comms in the other.

‘Rey, you got those two from the dormitories?’ he asks the comms.

‘Yeah!’ she answers. ‘Meet you at the shuttle?’

Poe beckons so he can talk into the comms. ‘You’ll beat us there: get her primed to launch!’

‘Will do!’ she says.

Something explodes. There’s a fireball in a side passage, and Poe flinches from the heat. Children scream, stampeding to escape. Guards stream in through the gap cleared by fire. Two have officers’ pauldrons: all of them have helmets on. The officers part to reveal a heavy cannon.

‘Don’t stun!’ Finn shouts. ‘Not this time.’

Poe fires his blaster. The air is warped around them from the flames, making it hard to get a clean shot.

A shadow rises above the cannon, and a guard screams. The officers glance back, but don’t realise the danger. Not until the KX droid picks one of them up by the helmet and yanks until their spine snaps.

Finn yelps in horror. The panicking guards try to turn the cannon toward the KX instead of using their blasters. The KX picks up a gun from one of its victims and fires off three shots: the rest of the guards fall down dead.

It turns and looks at Poe with lenticular eyes. If Poe didn’t know Keeo was in the hangar, he’d swear this was him. He steps to one side, creating a space for the droid to join their party. But the KX turns, stalking down a different passage.

The crowd keeps moving forward. Poe thinks he hears another scream from where the KX went.

They’re almost at the hangar. Each doorway they pass down the corridor is strewn with dead guards and ruined droids. But none of the guards have their helmets off: nobody from the team has been killed yet. Poe sees Sparrow carrying a gonk droid, while Toast is ploughing through another pack of guards with a stolen flamethrower. Both of them disappear as the space widens: they’ve reached the entrance to the hangar.

Without the safe tunnel carved out by the team, the open space is a bloodbath. Officers loyal to the First Order are forming packs, while the brand-new Rebels are corralling them between ships. Kids are already running up the loading ramp of the shuttle. A beam of yellow flashes: Rey deflects blaster shots aimed in their direction.

Dread hits Poe in the stomach. That means nobody is getting the engines started.

‘Finn,’ he shouts over his shoulder. ‘Can you fly it?’

‘I can try!’ Finn answers. ‘Why?’

They dodge a blast from a cannon, diving toward the kids. Poe rolls, losing his sense of direction. There should be stars beyond the magnetic field that protects the hangar from open space. But it’s a wall of grey. They’re in a box.

‘No,’ he breathes, scrambling to his feet. ‘No!’

Control have lowered the emergency shutters. No ships are getting in or out of the hangar. They’re trapped.

‘Get them onto the ship, or we’re fish in a barrel!’ Poe shouts.

It’s not going fast enough. The shuttle is big, but two hundred kids and who-knows-how-many new Rebels are all boarding at once—not to mention the runaway droids.

Poe hears a noise he can’t possibly be hearing. The ascending scream of ion engines starting up.

They’re scrambling the TIEs inside the hangar.

 _‘Run!’_ he yells at the top of his lungs. The flat wings of the TIEs are turning in the direction of the shuttle. Their ship has no guns. All their backup is on the other side of those shutters.

The blast of the TIE’s laser is blindingly bright in the closed space. It throws Poe off his feet, tossing him into a wall. His ears ring, and he tastes blood in his mouth. For a moment, he thinks it must be someone else’s. There are bodies scattered where he was just standing.

Small bodies.

A sob chokes out of him. His eyes are blurry and he swipes a hand to clear them, surprising himself with the rigid white armour still on his forearm. He forces himself to take in what he’s seeing.

Three kids. Three of the slow ones, who lagged behind the pack. Vatey was one of them.

Finn is carrying a fourth kid onto the shuttle. Poe gasps through wet, aching relief. Finn is alive.

Another TIE swivels to aim at the shuttle ramp.

Poe gets to his feet. There’s the bad knee again. He ignores it.

Station hangars have the same basic design. It might be painted in the First Order’s signature grey, but Poe knows where to look. There, under the control terminal, where officers are sitting in a duracrete booth and orchestrating a massacre.

A master switch.

Poe gets up, and one of his feet doesn’t obey him. He drops his blaster to brace a hand against the wall, and drags himself in the right direction.

The grinding shriek of a TIE’s wings skidding on the floor. Poe puts in a burst of speed and another cannon blast hits where he just was. He slides the last of the distance on his knees, and there it is. The manual override.

He throws one glance back at the shuttle. Finn, Jannah, and the droids are still outside. They’ve stolen a cannon and they’re blasting at the TIEs.

The shuttle’s lights are on. Rey has it ready to fly.

Poe throws the switch, and the hangar shutters rattle as they start to retract. Poe doesn’t take his eyes off the team.

‘Get up the ramp,’ he talks through gritted teeth, as if they can hear him.

BB-8 realises first. Of course he does: he’s an astromech. He turns to see where the master switch must be.

For a moment, there’s a fireball between them as a TIE’s shot goes wide. Then BB is bursting through the flames, screaming in binary for Poe.

Poe lets go of the switch. The moment he does, the shutters start closing again.

‘BB, you gotta get the others on the shuttle!’ Poe tells him.

BB chitters his refusal, reaching with his cables to try and pull the switch himself.

The TIE aims better this time, and Poe clings to the switch while BB is sent tumbling back. Metal groans above them and part of the roof collapses, crushing some of the TIEs.

‘Get on the shuttle!’ Poe shouts. ‘BB, that’s an _order!’_

There’s rubble between Poe and the ship now. It’s too high for Poe to see the ramp, but a figure looms above it in the smoke. BB is screeching on the other side.

‘Don’t come back for me, buddy!’ Poe feels his voice crack. ‘Keeo! You carry him if you have to!’

The figure nods.

‘And Finn!’ Poe is getting desperate. ‘Keeo, promise me!’

Keeo nods again. Poe catches sight of BB’s cables, lashing out as he tries to wriggle free. But then there’s a glimpse of Keeo, striding toward the ship with BB in his arms. They’re safe.

A blast overhead, and debris showers down on Poe. A TIE has hit the control terminal’s support beams. If the terminal loses power, it will override the shutters and all ships can evacuate. If Poe could get out from under the terminal in time, maybe he could steal a TIE fighter again, and catch them up.

He doesn’t like his odds, but he likes the idea.

The struts above him start to groan. Bolts clink down like a warning rain before a storm. Poe crouches, his weight still on the switch. He shuts his eyes and pictures the shuttle as clearly as he can. He imagines Finn and Jannah and Keeo and BB-8 getting in, every last kid and deserter in there with them, Rey gunning the engines and Black Squadron swarming in to wipe out these damned TIEs.

This must be how it was meant to go. Staying back, so Finn can go forward.

The terminal collapses, and a block of duracrete slams down beside Poe. Rubble crashes around him, knocking him off his feet. But the terminal is gone. No need to hold the switch.

The dust makes him cough. Something shifts, and blocks out the last of the light. Poe’s stuck between the floor and a sheet of metal. Not crushed, exactly, which isn’t so bad. It’s dark under here. Hard to breathe. He can’t move.

For once, he has to stay still.


	41. The Scruff of His Neck

Poe doesn’t have any way to mark the time, but for the muffled banging outside. The metal he’s stuck under is shifting. The space is getting tighter. Pebbles rattle as the rubble settles above him.

He shouts for help. The sound is swallowed up by broken duracrete. Anyway, they should all be on the shuttle by now. They’re free. That’s good.

He tries to press against the beam that’s pinning his knees, and dirt rushes in to fill the space. If he could get a full breath of air, he might feel more like fighting.

He closes his eyes, since it makes no difference in the dark. He lays his head back against the floor. His scalp is wet and ticklish. Blood, probably, trickling through his hair. He blinks. Can’t move his hand to fix it.

Grinding. Rumbling. Shuddering. Poe grunts as the beam on his knees gets heavier. Dirt sprays across his face and he scrunches his eyes shut against it.

‘He’s here!’ calls Finn, loud enough to be heard in the next sector.

The metal tips to one side. Poe brings his forearm up to block out the light. It’s too much after the dark, the quiet.

Hands, wrapping around his arm. Poe flinches as he’s tugged, and pulled, ankle twisting the wrong way when everything collapses into the space he had been.

Finn drags him free of the wreckage, falling flat the moment Poe is out in open air. Poe sprawls next to him, gasping like a fish out of water.

‘I found you,’ Finn’s hand bats him clumsily on the chest. ‘I got you.’

Poe whimpers something unintelligible in response. He pats Finn’s hand, or possibly he just rests his palm on top of it. That seems easier.

Something crashes on top of him. For a moment the most logical conclusion is that the hangar is collapsing again. Then he recognises the furious chittering of his droid.

‘Ugh, buddy,’ Poe shoves BB off him, rolling to one side so he can prop himself up on his elbows. ‘I’m alive.’

‘For now,’ says a droning voice. Poe blinks upwards and a metal hand closes around the back of his shirt, another hand securing Finn. Keeo drags them across the floor by the scruffs of their necks while BB berates Poe in binary.

‘Keeo,’ Poe almost chokes on his shirt collar. ‘Thought I told you to carry him onto the ship.’

‘I disobeyed,’ Keeo says mildly.

Poe’s bruises get bruises as Keeo dumps them unceremoniously on the boarding ramp. There’s a cry of relief that sounds like Rose Tico, and the uncomfortable disequilibrium of the ramp rising as they loll on it.

Finn sits up, and he pulls Poe’s head into his lap. Poe stares. Finn is the most beautiful person in the galaxy, but Poe’s known it for so long he doesn’t really think about it anymore. Except now.

The shuttle hums as Rey takes off. With a lot of help from Finn, Poe gets himself sitting upright. Finn presses their foreheads together as Poe catches his breath.

‘How’d you find me?’ Poe asks.

Finn gives him a wry, exhausted smile. ‘You’re not gonna like it.’

‘Ugh,’ Poe huffs, and his ribs ache. ‘Don’t tell me it was the Force.’

Finn’s whole face scrunches up: Poe guessed right.

‘Fine,’ Poe rests his elbows on his knees, running his hands through his hair. His fingers come out sticky from blood.

’There’s something…’ Finn goes quiet for a moment. ‘When I tried to listen for you.’

Poe looks up. Finn’s eyes are brimming with tears.

‘It’s hard to explain,’ Finn murmurs. ‘Sometimes… you sound like her.’

Poe doesn’t have to ask who _she_ is. His lip trembles suddenly, as Finn swallows before continuing.

‘Maybe it’s just how people leave impressions on people,’ Finn’s voice is hoarse. ‘But I think… I think she’s looking out for you.’

Poe gasps through a sob. Tears spill out of him, and he has to hide his face in Finn’s shoulder. He feels Finn sniffle through his own grief, arms wrapping tightly around Poe. Another sob hits him, and another, his ears ringing with Finn’s words, his hands bunched in Finn’s shirt. He cries until he’s too exhausted to keep going, and he still misses her.

The ship rocks as they clear the station’s range. Poe grimaces at the smear of dirt and blood he’s left on Finn’s white armour.

‘Sorry,’ he tries wiping his face. Finn shakes his head fondly: Poe can’t have done a good job.

‘Here,’ Finn gets to his feet, offering a hand to Poe. Poe lets Finn haul him up, and Finn inserts himself under Poe’s shoulder to support his weight. Poe’s ankles aren’t really on board with walking right now. They hobble to their cramped cabin, and Finn finds him a flask of water. Poe gulps it down, splashing the last of it over his head. He leans against a wall and fights his way out of the shirt, armour and all. It probably gives him more bruises than he had before, but he scrubs the inside of the shirt over his face and feels a bit cleaner. He’s still dripping when Finn approaches, offering Poe his original clothes.

‘Is everyone okay?’ Poe’s throat stings when he speaks. He tugs his shirt on, and Finn helps him with the sleeves.

‘We lost three kids in a TIE attack,’ Finn shakes his head. ‘They never made it to the shuttle.’

‘I saw,’ Poe bites his lip, throat getting tight. ‘That’s why I…’

‘I know,’ Finn says, like he understands as much as he hates that Poe did it. He busies himself getting the rest of their clothes.

‘Any injured?’ Poe asks. Finn hands him the leather cuff, and Poe fastens it around his wrist. Now he’s dressed.

‘A few serious cases, but nobody’s critical,’ Finn shakes his head. ‘The droids turned the tide for us.’

‘Keeo’s going to be so smug,’ Poe rolls his eyes. ‘Who got hurt?’

‘A guard broke a kid’s arm,’ Finn frowns. ‘Jayelle got shot in the leg. Oh, and our pilot got crushed under a control terminal.’

Poe sighs, tipping his head back. ‘Good thing we brought a spare, huh?’

‘General Dameron,’ Finn gives him a stern look. ‘I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear it. _You are not expendable._ Not to the Resistance…’

He reaches to cup Poe’s face, tilting Poe’s head until Poe is looking him in the eye.

‘Not to me,’ Finn tells him.

‘I’m sorry,’ Poe murmurs.

‘I need you,’ Finn says. ‘You remember?’

Poe shuts his eyes tightly, biting on his lip. He nods, pushing his head harder into Finn’s hand. Finn’s thumb strokes his cheekbone, and the motion draws the words from Poe’s mouth.

‘But do you _want—‘_

Finn kisses him.

Their mouths crash together, and it should hurt but Finn’s lips are soft and Poe is still gasping in surprise. There isn’t a hint of doubt in Finn’s movement, as he surges against Poe’s mouth with the same determination he commits to everything.

Finn tilts Poe’s face to kiss him deeper. Poe’s lips catch the tip of Finn’s tongue and he moans, mouth opening. Finn’s other hand finds Poe’s hair, nestling in the curls, keeping him close as they break for air.

It doesn’t help Poe’s light-headedness at all, but there’s space for him to slide his arms around Finn’s shoulders.

‘I love you,’ Poe tells him, breathless, eyes still shut. ‘Did you know?’

He bumps his nose against Finn’s cheek, into that dimple Finn gets when he smiles.

‘I had a feeling,’ Finn says, and kisses him again.


	42. There's a Tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we begin, may I please draw your attention to [this Keeo and Poe comic that blxcksvadron drew for me as a surprise,](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/post/613909369214697472/blxcksqvadron-just-made-me-this-amazing-comic-as-a) because it is fantastic.

They don’t get long to themselves. Black Squadron covers their exit and Rey needs a co-pilot to get the shuttle through hyperspace. Finn, meanwhile, goes to talk with their newest rebels. Some were killed during the escape, but there are more defectors than they estimated. It’s going to be a squeeze, but Poe suspects nobody’s going to complain.

Space is tight on Ajan Kloss, too. But that’s because it’s a victory, and the Resistance celebrates it that way.

Finn hovers around medical while Poe gets checked out, until they’re sure he’s got nothing but cuts, bruises, and poor self-preservation skills. Officers hover around Finn, seeking advice on what to do with the influx of children, defectors, and droids. Finn assures them: even if some people have to sleep on starships, they’ll make room. They’ll make it work.

The Yeosi team lighten the load by preparing to return home, but this round of goodbyes is harder. Jannah promises to visit, and they demand that she bring them on the next rescue mission. She says she’s already planning it: Poe shouldn’t be surprised at that.

‘You ever think about staying there?’ Poe asks her. ‘It was a nice place.’

‘Nah,’ Jannah says. ‘I belong here.’

‘On Ajan Kloss?’ Finn asks.

‘With the Resistance,’ she stands beside Finn, who puts his arm around her shoulders.

‘Yeah,’ Finn puts his other arm around Poe. ‘Me too.’

‘I’ve been meaning to ask you,’ Poe leans around Finn to look at Jannah. ‘Since we promoted D’Acy, Ground Forces need a Commander.’

‘Yeah, alright,’ she says it casually, but her eyes are dancing.

‘You ought to celebrate,’ Finn says. ‘This is your win.’

‘It is, isn’t it?’ she pats them both on the back, and joins the party.

*

There will be more children to free, and more families to find. There will be fewer Stormtroopers as more become Rebels. The ripples of freedom have begun for the droids, and the stories of children returned are changing worlds throughout the galaxy. The Resistance will grow as the First Order collapses.

The world keeps turning: that’s why it’s called a revolution.

Poe celebrates for a while before slipping away. He empties his quarters, since everyone’s about to get moved, and heads to his new home before anyone else can claim it.

The Falcon’s lights hum softly when he switches them on. For a moment he just stands, breathing in the familiar smell. The ship is empty: the cabin is unclaimed. Poe sets his pack down next to the bed.

He doesn’t turn when he hears the footsteps. He doesn’t need to.

‘Missing it already?’ Finn asks. Finn’s arms loop around Poe’s waist, and Finn’s pack drops beside his feet.

Poe laughs softly. Finn’s mouth forms a grin where it rests at the nape of Poe’s neck. Finn leans his weight forward, steering Poe to the edge of the bed. Poe has to lock his hands over Finn’s, where they’re holding his hips to keep from losing his balance. It’s becoming increasingly difficult as Finn’s lips trail over his skin, finding a place between his throat and his jaw and tickling there.

It’s familiar, and altogether new, and Poe opens his mouth to say so.

‘You know,’ Finn murmurs, teeth catching on Poe’s earlobe. ‘I dreamed about this.’

‘Yeah?’ Poe smiles, resting his head back on Finn’s shoulder. Then he frowns. ‘Wait, you _what.’_

‘Is that weird?’ Finn gives him some space. Poe turns around to face him, wrapping his arms around Finn’s waist to keep him close.

‘When did you have dreams about me?’ Poe asks. Finn’s hands are still resting on Poe’s hips: Poe becomes captivated by how well they fit there.

‘All those times we were in bed together…’ Finn admits. ‘And before that. There was one about you in the shower—‘

‘On the Memory?’ Poe asks.

Finn blinks in surprise. ‘Yeah.’

‘Finn,’ Poe raises his eyebrows. ‘I’ve had those too.’

‘Oh,’ Finn tucks his chin to his chest, suddenly shy. ‘The same kind of…’

‘Not the same kind, I think it’s the _same dream,’_ Poe insists. ‘Where we never—‘

‘—you never kiss me?’

Poe gapes. _‘How_ is that happening? Is it a Force thing?’

‘Funny dreams, yeah,’ Finn realises as he’s saying it. ‘One of the easiest ways to know you’re Force sensitive.’

‘But I’m _not_ Force sensitive,’ Poe reminds him.

‘We’re always close when you get them, right?’ Finn’s hands have begun to slide in the direction of Poe’s ass. Poe arches to encourage him. ‘Maybe you’re catching them off me.’

‘We’re always close anyw— _oh,_ ’ Poe trails off when Finn gets a handful of his ass and squeezes.

‘Not this close,’ Finn smirks.

‘This is new,’ Poe agrees. His nails dig into Finn’s back, dragging downwards.

‘Good new?’ Finn arches an eyebrow.

Poe chuckles, his nose bumping into Finn’s. ‘You know how these always turn out to be dreams?’

‘Right…?’ Finn can’t keep the smile off his face.

‘Because we don’t kiss?’ Poe tries to keep his breath steady as he asks.

‘Mm-hmm?’ Finn nuzzles him.

Poe’s lips meet Finn’s, both of them smiling too much to kiss properly for a moment. Then Poe deepens it, drawing Finn’s bottom lip into his mouth. Finn sinks into the kiss, pulling their bodies flush together, and he moans against Poe’s mouth. This is nothing like a dream. This is real, because Poe never dreamt what Finn’s lips would taste like, or how Finn’s tongue would flick against his own. Things Poe didn’t know could flutter are fluttering.

Finn readjusts his grip on Poe’s ass, and lifts him off the ground. Poe gasps, legs wrapping around Finn’s waist for balance as Finn sits Poe on his hips. This close, it’s impossible for Finn to miss how Poe’s cock is already stirring—and judging by Finn’s smile, he’s noticed. He keeps kissing Poe, while Poe’s face heats up. Poe clenches his thighs to keep balanced, and that only makes things more obvious.

Finn rolls his hips and Poe gasps, realising he’s not the only one getting hard. He’s been holding Finn’s waist, but between kisses he finds his way to the front of Finn’s shirt, tugging it open. There it is: the chain Poe gave him. Poe traces the curve of the ring with his finger, admiring how it rests below the hollow of Finn’s throat.

‘You want this back?’ Finn murmurs.

Poe swallows. ‘Why don’t you keep it?’

‘Okay,’ Finn bites his lip, his voice rough.

Poe lingers for a moment, then keeps working Finn’s shirt open. He tilts his chin down while Finn’s lips press to his forehead. Poe’s touch slips from the chain to Finn’s collarbone, finding the contrast of soft skin and firm muscle in his chest. Poe flattens his palm and there is Finn’s heart, thumping faster at Poe’s touch. Finn, meanwhile, has been kissing a path along Poe’s temple to his ear. Poe gasps, squirming at how good Finn’s mouth feels. His hands end up fisted in the fabric of Finn’s shirt, pulling insistently.

‘You wanna—?’ Finn asks.

‘Yeah,’ Poe grins, and Finn tosses him onto the bed.

Poe is halfway through a breathless laugh when Finn lands on top of him. Poe tangles his legs around Finn again, wrestling Finn’s shirt over his head. Finn insists on another kiss before removing Poe’s shirt, then he leans back, sitting on his heels to gaze down at Poe.

‘What?’ Poe draws his lower lip between his teeth. ‘You’ve seen me before.’

‘Not like this,’ Finn starts by touching his cheek, fingers making a path down Poe’s neck, his chest, circling around Poe’s nipple. Poe gasps. _‘Definitely_ not like that.’

He rolls it between forefinger and thumb, and Poe kicks a heel into Finn’s back, writhing. Finn tries the other nipple and finds it just as sensitive. Both his hands smooth down Poe’s sides, deftly avoiding the scar, until Finn arrives at the waistband of his pants.

Poe starts to ask a question, and it comes out as a whine. Finn’s eyebrows twitch, and he strokes the backs of his knuckles over the tuft of hair at Poe’s navel. Poe’s hands end up in his own hair, yanking on it as Finn teases him. Finn’s eyes drag from there, to Poe’s heaving chest, his twitching belly, and then he gets his fingers under Poe’s waistband. Poe has to unlock his legs from around Finn, and there’s a moment where he slightly kicks Finn in the face, but they figure it out.

Then Poe is naked, laid out with his ass in Finn’s lap. He scrapes his heel along Finn’s flank, ineffectually trying to remove Finn’s pants as well. Finn gets the idea, laughing softly, and takes them off himself. Poe props himself up so he can kiss Finn again, one hand sliding between them. Poe starts with gentle touches, until Finn grazes his teeth impatiently along Poe’s lip, and then Poe is grasping Finn’s hip, blunt nails digging into Finn’s thigh. Finn growls into Poe’s mouth, rocking forward until Poe is flat on his back with Finn kneeling between his thighs.

Finn’s touch is tender, but not tentative, when he reaches for Poe’s cock. Poe twitches when Finn’s fingers curl around it, and Poe has to bite back a whimper when Finn’s thumb brushes the head, spreading the slickness he finds there. One of Poe’s hands clamps onto Finn’s shoulder, urging him on. What Finn does next is too loose to be stroking: it’s light and curious, and slow in a way that has to be deliberate. Poe meets Finn’s eyes and they’re twinkling. Finn knows exactly what he’s doing, and Poe’s breath stutters when Finn’s hand quickens. It’s almost too much, the care with which Finn gauges his reactions to each new movement. Poe knows Finn is a fast learner, but this isn’t a subject Poe had considered in such detail. His nails are scrabbling on Finn’s arm now, getting desperate, and he chokes the first time he tries to speak.

‘Wait,’ he says on the second attempt. ‘Not yet—I want, I—can I?’

Finn makes sense of Poe’s rambling, and moves his hand to trace up the crease of Poe’s thigh. ‘Yeah, you can.’

Poe slides his palm down Finn’s abdomen, slow and firm. Finn snorts softly, bucking to meet him, so Poe wraps his hand around Finn’s cock. They echo each other’s gasps when Poe feels how hard he is. Poe cups and strokes and traces, never quite settling on a rhythm. He doesn’t mean to tease, even though Finn is scrunching his nose in frustration. Poe is distracted by everything: the smell, the sight, the feeling of Finn naked above him, hard and wanting. And Poe wants—he needs to ask if Finn wants it as well.

He’s still got his legs hooked around Finn’s waist, so it’s easy to draw himself up, to bring their hips together. His cock slides alongside Finn’s: Poe’s too clumsy to get them both in one grip, but he rocks his hips optimistically. Finn tries to help, and their hands bump together. He rests his forehead on Poe’s, grinning. Then his hand slips lower, with a touch so light it tickles, between Poe’s thighs.

 _‘Oh,’_ Poe shivers all over.

‘Yeah?’ Finn looks pleased with himself.

‘Yeah,’ Poe breathes.

Finn’s finger slips along the cleft of his ass, teasing back and forth until Poe spreads his thighs wider. Finn takes his time exploring, fingertips gentle and curious. It only serves to make Poe more desperate, losing any rhythm he had stroking Finn.

Finn doesn’t seem to mind: he’s biting back a smile as he traces a circle around Poe’s rim.

Poe stammers out a stream of nonsense, then manages to say: ‘I’ve… uh, I’ve got—‘

Finn raises an eyebrow, finger still moving. ‘What’ve you got?’

 _‘Unh…’_ Poe pinches the bridge of his nose until he can form a sentence. ‘In my pack…’

He has to let go of Finn, rolling over to where he dropped his pack beside the bed. This doesn’t seem to bother Finn, who dives on top of him and starts kissing the small of his back. Poe squirms as Finn makes his way down to Poe’s ass, teeth sinking in. Poe rummages through the pack, trying to concentrate on something other than the bruise Finn’s mouth is going to leave on the meat of his ass tomorrow.

Poe lets out a crow of victory when he finds it, rolling over in Finn’s embrace. Finn catches him in a languorous kiss, the kind with more tongue than sense, until both their faces are wet and stubble-scraped. Poe presses the bottle into Finn’s hand, and feels Finn’s face twisting in amusement.

‘Oh,’ Finn glances at the bottle. ‘You just had this in your pack?’

‘Damn right I did,’ Poe drapes himself across the bed, thighs splayed again. Finn is enjoying the view, even if he’s teasing.

‘Can’t complain,’ Finn smirks, drizzling liquid over his fingers.

His touch glides back to Poe’s ass, smooth and slick. The tip of one finger nudges in, and Poe groans.

‘Good?’ Finn asks.

Poe can’t speak for a second, so he nods. Finn slides in to the first knuckle, then out. Poe makes a pleading noise as Finn sinks deeper. Some combination of instinct and observation leads Finn to touch Poe exactly how Poe would be begging him to, if he could manage.

Poe collects himself enough to reach for Finn, skating his fingers over Finn’s waist. He can’t quite reach Finn’s cock from this angle, but he can see Finn is still hard, so much it’s making Poe’s mouth water.

‘You want another?’ Finn asks.

 _‘Please,’_ Poe’s getting hoarse.

Finn isn’t tentative with this one: he presses into Poe and finds exactly the spot that makes Poe’s vision go white. Poe stuffs the heel of his palm into his mouth and bites on it, hips twitching for more, and Finn builds up a patient, relentless rhythm.

‘Finn…’ Poe is begging around his hand. _‘Finn,_ I want—‘

‘I know,’ Finn murmurs, and there’s a third finger inside Poe.

’’s not what I want,’ Poe confesses.

‘Is what you need, though,’ Finn tells him, hand meticulously working Poe open.

Poe takes a shuddering breath, trying to keep himself together. He props himself up on his elbows, looking Finn in the eye.

‘Have you done this before?’ he asks.

‘Not exactly this,’ Finn says. ‘Is it obvious?’

Poe laughs softly. ‘What I mean is, if you wanna stop, slow down, change it up…’

‘Then I will,’ Finn assures him. ‘Same for you.’

He leans down to kiss the tip of Poe’s nose. Then he crooks his fingers with wicked precision, and Poe whimpers.

Poe’s heels scrabble on the sheets, his hips rolling as he tries for more. He grabs Finn’s face in both hands, arching up to kiss Finn properly—even as his mouth keeps falling open with each twitch of Finn’s fingers.

‘Come on,’ Poe pleads. ‘Come _on.’_

Finn pulls out, and Poe can’t help but cry out. He’s quivering with need, barely able to let Finn go as Finn grabs him by the thighs to pull Poe’s ass into his lap. Finn takes the bottle again, slicking himself up. He strokes Poe’s cock with the excess, and Poe’s eyes flutter shut with pleasure.

‘Hey,’ Finn says, and Poe focuses. Finn’s gaze is half-lidded. One cheek has a dimple in it, and the other doesn’t: a crooked smile. Poe brushes Finn’s jaw with his thumb. The gesture says: _I’m here._

Poe shudders with anticipation, reminding himself not to tense. He sucks his lip between his teeth and bites down, easing his thighs wider. Finn takes his time, sinking inch by inch into Poe. He keeps watching Poe’s face, until Poe’s brow crumples and there’s a sudden tang of blood in his mouth. Poe swipes it away with his tongue, and Finn chases him for a kiss, bringing their bodies flush together. Poe clings to him, until his mouth tastes of nothing except Finn.

Finn starts with a shallow thrust. Poe winds his legs around Finn’s waist and used the leverage to drive him deeper. Poe’s groan is trapped between their mouths: so is Finn’s answering huff of breath. Finn rolls his hips, building up a rhythm. He shifts his weight to one arm, his hand finding Poe’s cock again. Poe throws his head back, a reedy noise escaping him as he rocks between Finn’s hand and his cock. He’s clutching Finn’s face in both hands, hips working like pistons.

‘Please,’ he moves faster, and Finn starts stroking him. ‘Come on, _yes…’_

‘Yes?’ Finn’s eyes crinkle at the corners. Poe’s thumbs follow the lines of them.

 _‘Yeah,’_ the laugh punches out of Poe. He surges into Finn’s hand, thighs clenching at the same time. Finn groans, speeding up.

Poe isn’t going to last. He’s overwhelmed. Tears spring at the corners of his eyes.

‘Finn,’ his voice cracks. He doesn’t know how to tell Finn everything, and he suddenly needs to. _‘Finn…’_

Finn presses their foreheads together. He’s shaking, sweating, smiling.

‘I know,’ he promises. ‘I know.’

Poe shatters when he comes, whimpering and tear-streaked, quaking with need. His thighs are locked around Finn’s hips, riding through each spark of pleasure. Finn follows him, a deep sound in his chest as his thrusts speed up then still at the cusp, where they’re closest. For a few moments all they can do is gasp, Poe holding Finn close, feeling Finn’s hammering pulse in his throat. Finn collapses on top of Poe, knocking all the wind out of him. The ring lands on Poe’s chest, its chain pooling between them. All Poe can do is grin, his heel rubbing the back of Finn’s thigh. Finn slips out and Poe manages to whine, open mouth pressed to Finn’s forehead. Finn heaves out a sigh, rolling to one side and bringing Poe with him. They lie face to face.

‘I love you,’ Finn is still panting. ‘Did I say that?’

‘I knew,’ Poe’s smile is languid, like the rest of him.

Finn snorts softly, ruffling Poe’s hair. Poe hopes it’s with the clean hand, but he doesn’t really care.

‘I’m still saying it,’ Finn gives him a kiss on the cheek. ‘I love you, Poe Dameron.’

‘Okay,’ Poe says. ‘Then I love you. I’ve been in love with you since the moment I met you.’

Finn nods in agreement, his nose bumping against Poe’s. Poe tugs the blanket across them, tangling his legs with Finn’s. They shuffle into an embrace that’s not so different from the ones they’ve shared before, except—it is. It’s better.

‘You falling asleep?’ Finn asks, kissing Poe’s hairline.

Poe takes a deep breath, and sighs with satisfaction. ‘Just enjoying this.’

‘Will you tell me something?’ Finn asks.

Poe tilts his head curiously.

‘You always sound so sure you’re not Force sensitive.’

Poe manages to roll his eyes while they’re barely open. ‘I _am sure.’_

‘How do you know?’ Finn asks, twirling his finger into a curl at the nape of Poe’s neck.

Poe draws a circle with his fingertip, right over Finn’s heart. ‘Mm. You ever heard of a uneti tree?’

‘A what?’

‘It’s… uh, it’s a Force tree,’ Poe explains. ‘If you’re sensitive, you can form a connection with it through the Force.’

‘You’ve seen one?’ Finn asks.

‘I grew up with one,’ Poe says. ‘Used to take care of it every day when I was a kid.’

‘Really?’ Finn smiles.

‘Yeah,’ Poe smiles back. ‘In my parents’ backyard, on Yavin IV.’

‘I’d like to see that,’ Finn says, looking at Poe like he hung the moon.

‘Then I’ll teach you how to fly,’ Poe promises. ‘And you can take us.’

‘Good,’ Finn’s eyes sparkle. ‘It’s probably about time I met your dad.’

So Poe takes him home.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think there are words enough in the world to thank everyone who has read this and talked about it with me. I love you so much.
> 
> I am on [tumblr,](r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/) where I post lots of [Hanging the Moon discussion, background material, and art.](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/tagged/hanging+the+moon) [Including a little tiny epilogue.](https://r0b0tb0y.tumblr.com/post/619080678912475136/shouldve-couldve-wouldve-prompt-finnpoe)
> 
> [I have lots more finnpoe fic,](https://archiveofourown.org/works?utf8=%E2%9C%93&commit=Sort+and+Filter&work_search%5Bsort_column%5D=revised_at&include_work_search%5Brelationship_ids%5D%5B%5D=6452486&work_search%5Bother_tag_names%5D=&work_search%5Bexcluded_tag_names%5D=&work_search%5Bcrossover%5D=&work_search%5Bcomplete%5D=&work_search%5Bwords_from%5D=&work_search%5Bwords_to%5D=&work_search%5Bdate_from%5D=&work_search%5Bdate_to%5D=&work_search%5Bquery%5D=&work_search%5Blanguage_id%5D=&user_id=robotboy) and lots more Star Wars on my works page <3


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